


Playing House, Playing Family

by AvixiLynn91



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Angry Sex, Bottom Gavin Reed, Consensual Sex, Consensual Underage Sex, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, Hate to Love, Hebephilia, High school-teenagers, Loss of Virginity, Lots of Tea, Lust, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Nines falls for Gavin harder than I fell on my ass last week, Older Man/Younger Man, Oral Sex, Pervy Nines, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Nines, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), References to Drugs, Rimming, Sexual Experimentation, Spanking, Tea, Teenage Rebellion, The author is a sick puppy, Top Upgraded Connor | RK900, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Is Bad at Feelings, Weird relationship, Young Love, heed the tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-10-24 00:59:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 33
Words: 167,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17694560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvixiLynn91/pseuds/AvixiLynn91
Summary: Nines is purchased by Abby Reed after her husband leaves her to raise their fifteen year old son, Gavin. Originally meant to be a ‘household’ assistant android, Nines tries getting along with the unruly teen, but Gavin doesn’t need a replacement father. As fate would have it, he soon begins seeing Gavin as a foster son, but also as a lover…





	1. 282 Park Row Avenue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. So I got into a little bit of an argument with my fiance and friends over NOT writing this fic and posting it. Long story short, they ALL saw what happened with the fic I abandoned called 'Incorruptible' and they have all seen my other DBH works (Reed: Become Android, Hell's Flames, and An Unforeseen Union). 
> 
> Needless to say, they all loved them, and they asked me: why the heck are you leavin A03 without a good 'bang'? Something that everyone will remember you by?
> 
> My answer was THIS fic, and I showed them the first 2 chapters, and they loved it as well because it is new, fresh, and totally different (like Hell's Flames). So basically, this is going to be a SHORT (I swear I am aiming for short, because most of my fics are like 80k-130k words loool) fic that people can enjoy, because a LOT of people have been commenting stating I am a great writer, and it is sad and a shame seeing me leave. 
> 
> I totally do understand AND appreciate all that, which is precisely why I am writing this and posting this. It will obviously have some underage themes, so please do mind the tags, I mean them and heed my warnings before diving into this fic.
> 
> Now enjoy! :) And this is my special gift (and my fiance's lol) to everyone
> 
> Cheers

**Playing House, Playing Family**  
  
AvixiLynn

 

 

He never thought he would end up for sale as a ‘Household Assistant’ android after CyberLife had no use for him as a weapon of destruction and war. He had been designed and built for that, but now Nines found himself in a CyberLife store right in the heart of Detroit. He had been placed on a row and shelf next to other androids desperate enough for a home to go to. His pride got in the way, and he refused to be sold as a ‘product’ to do another human’s bidding.

Sadly, with the war and android movement gone and having made its point, some androids unfortunately were unable to go fully deviant, and those who hadn’t were still sold and used to carry out human orders. Nines had been tested countless times for signs of software instability and deviancy, but he hadn’t shown any in the last few months.

His creators had given him a few more weeks, but when he again failed their tests, he was sold and moved out of CyberLife’s labs. They had no more use for him, and like an old shoe, he was cast out and passed down.

He had waited behind the display glass for what seemed like months. A lot of people came by to gawk at him and gape, due to the fact that he was the very ‘latest-and-greatest’ from CyberLife. He was a newer and more advanced model, but they’d all hidden the fact from the public that he’d originally been designed for war, malice, destruction, and bringing other androids down.

No big deal; due to his uniform, handsome facial features, and ‘talents’ proudly spoken about, many people soon came just to see him. They couldn’t afford him, however, and Nines soon felt that he was going to become a permanent decoration in the store sooner or later.

He didn’t really mind it, as he’d heard horrible stories about what humans did to androids that worked under them from other androids whispering back and forth to each other at night when the shop was closed.

The stories made him shiver, but he would often hide how he felt when the morning came and new faces stood peering before him.

One day, one of those new faces included a brunette woman…

She was of medium height, and she looked no older than in her late thirties at the most. Her eyes were light green, and she had a few freckles scattered about her face. She held a red purse over her shoulder, and was wearing a light blue spring jacket. Outside, the weather was mildly pouring and drizzling, and Nines tried keeping his eyes on the outside world. It was tough to do when the female kept staring at him, smiling at him, pointing at him…

It soon didn’t take him long to figure out that she was more serious about purchasing him than anyone else had ever been.

She gestured over and called one of the sales representatives, and they eagerly went over their well-rehearsed speech regarding his special programs, his model, his design, and his intended usage.

It had gone over so well that she had already paid for him in cash within half an hour.

Before he knew it, he was sitting in the passenger seat of an older car, and he was looking out the window while his hands were resting in his lap. The woman next to him prattled on and on, but he soon was able to drown her out as he found himself suddenly missing his old ‘friends’ and companions back in the CyberLife store…

They had been going through the same thing he had, which was why they all got along so well. It was a good, strong bond, a connection, and it had all been taken away within an hour at the most.

Why?

He didn’t understand it while he stared out at the young trees that were just beginning to sprout their buds for the early spring season.

Some slush and wet snow still lingered about in the corners of streets and on sidewalks and driveways, but with the way the rain was beating down, it would all be gone, soon.

The weather didn’t trouble him, but he had found it another interesting pastime to stare at it and study it. He wondered how much of it he would be able to enjoy and study, but he had his answer the moment the woman turned the car to a right-hand street corner called ‘Park Row Avenue’.

She drove forward until Nines saw a pretty decent sized driveway, and the house number had a golden plate that read the number 282.

So this was his new home…

He looked up at a good sized house, and it made sense, given the fact that the woman had been able to pay for him up front in cash. The neighborhood was pretty well-to-do; all the other houses were large, the yards clean and well organized, and other expensive cars were parked in the driveways. It was a good neighborhood, and a very silent, peaceful one, so it seemed. Perhaps he was luckier than he thought, and he hated that he had prejudged her for being of a lower class.

Perhaps she was richer than she appeared?

Nines felt his own seat-belt being unbuckled, and he stared into the green eyes of the woman. She was leaning close to him, and she opened his side of the door for him.

“Come on,” she gave him a warm smile, and Nines thought right then that she had a pleasant voice.

He watched her walk up the driveway, and he followed after a few seconds of silent pausing. This was his new life, his new home, and she was his new ‘master’. Anything she said, he had to do, as it had been programmed into him the moment he arrived and was shipped into the CyberLife store.

He didn’t mind or care as he waited on the front porch behind her, and he watched her unlock the front door and hold it open for him once she herself was inside the house.

The house was old, and it looked even older on the inside. While the furniture and decorations were modern and new, the walls and wood was definitely dated. The wood creaked and groaned anytime someone moved, and the lights-although bright and new-seemed a little dull and dim in contrast to the old ceiling patterns above their heads.

Each room on the main floor was pretty spacious, well-decorated and designed, and the house was pretty clean.

This all gave Nines a big relief; it appeared he didn’t really need to clean house, for now. But he still didn’t want to leave that out of his list of duties and be surprised by it later on if the woman asked.

He watched her shrug off her blue coat, fold it in half, and drape it on a large, rectangular black kitchen table once he had followed her in there. She was wearing a white blouse and blue jeans, and she looked 'homey' and simple as she played with a few of her red-painted nails.

She poured herself a clean glass of water and drank it down slowly while her eyes studied Nines. The android stood in the center of the kitchen while staring back a her, head tilted and LED light yellow, waiting for instructions. He knew better than speaking freely without being spoken to, first, and he didn’t want to upset or disrespect her.

She smiled at him again while setting the glass down and playing her long, dark brown hair. A clock somewhere ticked loudly, and it seemed to make the woman uncomfortable as a small blush formed on her cheeks.

Nines heard her clear her throat while she bit her lower lip and looked down at the shiny floors beneath their feet, “Please, do try to make yourself feel at home,” her voice was gentle again, and Nines simply stared at her while feeling a bit of confusion seeping into his system.

He didn’t understand. Wasn’t he supposed to begin cleaning? Building something? The other androids in the CyberLife store had guaranteed that he would be doing just _that_ for the rest of his time spent with humans in their homes…

But this woman wanted him to ‘feel at home’?

It didn’t compute.

He tilted his head at her again, “Is there anything specific I can start with?”

She gaped at him, “You mean as in housework?”

“Correct.”

She covered her mouth with a hand and giggled, her small shoulders shaking up and down while her face turned beet red. Nines didn’t understand what was so funny, but humor was something he still didn’t understand; only deviants seemed to.

The woman waved as she cleared her throat again. She reached for her glass once more, finishing the rest of her beverage as she sighed, “No, I’m sorry,” she shook her head, “I’ve been such a rude hostess!” Nines watched as she walked over to him and pressed a hand to her chest.

“I’m Abby Reed,” she chuckled softly, “I’m so sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier, things have just been kind of hectic around here since my husband Allen left…”

Nines wondered why, but he chose to remain silent. He wasn’t made for asking questions that were of no concern to him or his program.

He simply nodded, “I’m referred to as the RK900 by others, but I understand some humans like to use ‘nicknames’?”

The woman smiled widely, “Yes, the man in the store told me to call you ‘Nines’?”

He nodded again, “That seems appropriate.”

“I like that name,” she decided as she placed her empty cup in the sink and walked closer to him, “it’s much better than spitting out ‘RK900’ each time I want to address you, right?”

He had no opinion, and he simply stared at her in silence.

She nodded, “Right, well Nines,” she took a few steps around him and was exiting the kitchen shortly, “why don’t you please follow me for now? I’ll give you a tour of the house, explain what you have to do, and then we’ll move on from there, okay?”

He didn’t say anything, but he allowed her to take him to the basement, first. It was larger than the kitchen and dining room put together, and there were so many gaming and entertainment consoles and video games down there. They were all scattered about messily on the floor, and the woman had to tip toe around them while sighing in exhaustion.

“I’m so sorry,” her tired eyes faced him while she brushed her hair out of her face, and it heated up, “I assumed this room was going to be clean…”

He didn’t know why she was always apologizing, but he didn’t comment on it as she told him that the few other rooms in the basement were used for her personal workout station. A few exercise machines were past the ‘gaming room’, and Nines was told to once in a while make sure to check if the machines were dusted and working properly. That was it.

They went back upstairs, and he was told not to really do anything in the kitchen or the dining room, or even in the main floor restroom.

Fine.

It all seemed easy and simple enough for him.

The living room was usually tidy, which he as grateful for, as a lot of expensive-looking furniture and furnishings were placed inside there. The sofas and chairs looked brand new, and the windows seemed to have been recently installed. He made a mental note to clean them, despite the woman not having told him to do that.

After she’d given him a tour of the other small rooms on the main floor, she took him upstairs. Nines was shown her ‘office’, and she told him that she sometimes worked from home. Her office consisted of a desk that held a few laptops on it, a filing cabinet next to it against a wall, a small fireplace on the opposite side of the wall, a small futon next to a window, and a large TV mounted on a wall.

He was to only arrange the room when she didn’t have enough time to do it herself, and that was just fine with him. She stated that she used the office to conduct her business, and clients would often come and have sessions with her in the office. He made a mental note to definitely check if the room was always neat, pristine, and clean for the clients in that case, then.

He was also to ignore the bathroom on this floor, and he was given a quick tour of her own bedroom. It seemed like any bedroom any human would have, and there was nothing special about it. The room seemed to fit her personality; the walls were a soft white-pink, and the decorations and furniture were simplistic and basic enough. 

She just told him to make the bed if he had enough time, which he found odd. Of course he had enough time…this was his job…

His purpose…

He remained focused enough as she walked him down a long, wide hallway, and he saw a dark drown door directly across from where her bedroom was. As he took a closer look at the shut door, he saw a small red sign posted in the center of the door, and it displayed in black ink and messy handwriting:

**Fuck off.**

He was pretty sure this room wasn’t the woman’s, nor did she write those words in the center of the door…

She saw the little sign as well, and rolled her eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” she clenched up a fist and knocked on the door a few times, her knuckles rapping against the sign, causing it to fall off and land on the carpet below.

Music hit Nines’ audio receptors right then, and he wondered how he had missed it as they walked down the hall towards this door to begin with.

It was loud, it was probably ‘heavy metal’, and it immediately troubled him. He stood next to the woman called ‘Abby’ while his LED light flashed yellow multiple times. He had scanned the room on the other side of the door, and he saw already that it was beyond messy.

He felt his stress levels increasing, but he hid it while Abby turned to him and gave him a weak smile.

She knocked on the door again, “It’s mom!”

The music turned down a little, and Nines tilted his head when he heard footsteps approaching…

The door swung open, and a head poked out at them.

It was a young teenager.

He had dark brown messy hair, almost the same color as his mother’s. He had dark blue eyes, however, and an odd scar across his nose…

He was pretty short, but he tried making himself appear tall as he stepped out into the hall. The door behind hum swung open, revealing the interior of the room behind him…it really was a mess.

His laptop was open, and music had been blaring from it. A cigarette pack was lying on the keyboard, and his bed was absolutely a wreck. It seemed as if a tornado had gone through the room.

His bedsheets were mostly on the floor, as were his socks, his underwear, and the other clothing items were half-out of the drawers that were pulled widely open next to the bed. His pillows were all over the mattress.

On the walls were nude posters of women-definitely porn stars. They had darts right where their nipples were, and Nines saw a discarded dart board under the bed peeking up at them. A lighter was on a night table, as well as other technological tools such as a tablet, an Iphone, an Ipod, headphones, and a few video games.

Apparently, the young man didn’t like that Nines was staring at the inside of his room, and he puffed out his chest as he glared up at the tall android.

“The fuck are you starin’ at, bitch?”

His rude-yet deep-tone of voice forced Nines to gaze down at him in shock. His LED light was red, and the teen stared at it while his mother gasped at him.

“Watch your language, Gavin,” she warned as she pointed at the teenager while addressing Nines.

“This is my son, Gavin Reed,” she yanked his hoodie down when he pulled it up over his head to shield and cover his face from them both.

“He’s soon going to turn sixteen, and he thinks he runs the damn household,” she glared at him when he leaned against the doorframe, shrugging while stuffing his hands in his dark blue jean pockets.

“As soon as I’m sixteen, I’m gettin’ the fuck out of this fuckin’ house,” he whispered down at the floor. His mother yanked down his hoodie once more.

“I said: Watch. Your. Mouth,” she said the words one-at-a-time while Gavin peered up at Nines.

He frowned darkly, “We didn’t need an android, _mom_.” The way he said it made Nines feel defensive and uncomfortable immediately. He had already decided that while he liked Abby Reed, he absolutely did _not_ like her son, Gavin.

He also knew the young teenager hadn’t taken to him as well, for he snorted while studying him up and down slowly. He clearly didn’t like what he saw, and any conclusion he had come to was enough to get him to roll his eyes at the android.

His mother pointed a long, red-painted fingernail at him, “Gavin, I don’t want to hear it,” she started while she stared wearily at him, and then over at Nines, “I need all the help I can get around here, and since you’re not doing your chores, I had no choice.”

“I do my fuckin’ chores!” he argued back, and she hissed at him for cursing, no doubt.

She gestured at the room behind him, “Your room begs to differ.”

He shrugged again, and she sighed in exhaustion, “Teenagers…”

Nines had no opinion out loud, but inside, he really felt troubled. He stood in absolute silence, hoping he wouldn’t have to really do anything inside the boy’s room.

Fate and luck weren’t on his side.

“Nines, would you please start with my son’s room?” Abby turned to him, placing a small, warm hand gently on his shoulder.

Oh no…

Nines felt the need to reject her instructions for the first time, but he didn’t show it or reveal it as he stared at the room with wide eyes.

Gavin groaned, “Leave my room alone!” he took a step backwards while he gripped the doorknob tightly, “I’ll do it myself, okay?”

His mother shook her head and glared, “Gavin, you-”

The door slammed and locked in their faces, and not a minute later, the music was up at full volume. It shook the floors and walls, and it even seemed to make the wood of the door creak.

Abby placed her hands on her hips and sighed. She ran a hand through her hair and emitted a strained laugh that was anything but humorous.

Nines knew she was fed up and exhausted, and he was as well, even though this kid had nothing to do with him.

He had no idea how he was going to handle this teenager now, and his mind and system began to panic and overflow with information, suggestions, reactions, instructions. He stood rooted the spot, LED light blinking red rapidly.

Abby noticed it and placed two hands on his shoulders while staring up at him carefully, “Nines! Please don’t worry!” she shook him gently once, “Gavin’s at that age where he’s facing a lot of issues from his school, and he thinks rebelling against me is the best way to deal with all of it…”

Nines tilted his head at her, and she sighed, “I’m a developmental psychologist, and I used to counsel children and teens for many years before Allen left me,” she took a step back, wringing her hands together nervously as she bit her lower lip.

“I used to know how to do everything around here,” she whispered to herself softly while he listened carefully.

“…It all seemed to make sense, and then one day, it all fell apart…” she laughed as she wiped her eyes, “I’m not even sure how or why, but I know I can’t break apart…I have to continue for my son, and maybe one day he’ll appreciate it!”

Nines was conflicted. He didn’t know what to say or do while she ran her hands through her hair, and she coughed a few times while straightening her clothing out and getting herself together and composed once again.

She stared up at him with guilt in her eyes, “I apologize,” she shook her head, as if shaking her thoughts and emotions away, “I didn’t mean to vent like that to you…”

He didn’t mind, but he remained silent.

The music on the other side of the door had grown quiet, suddenly.

Abby cleared her throat, “Alright, Nines,” she stood straight and smiled at him through her pink eyes, “just do whatever you can, and I’ll appreciate it sincerely.”

She walked up to him and gently pet him on the shoulders with a small, kind smile on her face that Nines was unable to identify with.

“Even if you can get Gavin to talk to you, it’ll be a huge improvement,” she spoke softly, as if knowing her son was already listening in on their conversation, “he usually just comes home from school and locks himself in his room all day and night…”

Somehow, Nines already knew that. He stared at the closed door, practically seeing the teenager behind the door right now.

He only offered Abby a nod as he said: “I’ll do my best.”

She thanked him, and then stated she would be in her office working. The door to it clicked shut softly.

Nines was left alone in front of Gavin’s door. Remembering what Abby had done, he raised his hand and rapped his knuckles on the door. It surprisingly opened within a second.

Gavin glared up at Nines, “What do you want, now?”

Nines stared down at him, reminding himself to remain calm. It was proving to be difficult the longer the teen glared at him. He pushed his own impatience and frustration to the side as he clasped his hands behind his back and stood tall.

“May I come in?”

The teen raised an eyebrow.

“Just to organize your room a little,” Nines assured him with a confident, firm tone, “then I’ll be out of your way again.”

Gavin rolled his eyes and played with the doorknob, “Fine.”

Nines was amazed to see him step away from the door. He darted over to his bed, flinging himself down on it while he played with his phone in both hands. He rested on his stomach, legs pressing against the wall while his bedsheets messily were shoved all the way down to the floor.

Nines made his way inside, trying to scan the room and decide where to start first. He decided to organize a small bookshelf by the computer desk, but as Nines began working, he soon realized the teenager was purposefully adding on to his manual labor…

Gavin began to pace around the room, discarding items anywhere he went. He emptied his pockets, littering the floor with coins, cigarette butts, old paper, and even a condom wrapper…

Nines felt disgusted, but he bent down and picked up the items, throwing them into the grey trash bin by the door. When he began making his way towards Gavin’s standing closet, he heard something being kicked over behind him.

He whipped around to find Gavin pushing the trash bin down to the floor, and all the garbage inside it was now all over the floor.

Gavin’s bare foot shoved the trash around, and he stared up at Nines with a cold expression on his face, “Oops, sorry.”

He wasn’t sorry at all.

Nines conducted a bio-scan, and he noticed that satisfaction and joy were increasing highly within the young teenager. His endorphins were released at a quick pace, and his heart rate was steady. He was really enjoying himself…

Nines abandoned the closet, and once he began collecting the garbage on the floor, he heard Gavin breeze past him. He was at the closet within a minute, and as Nines stared up at him from his spot on the floor, he tore down a few of his suits, jackets, sports items, as well as belts and shoes from the shelves and nooks in the closet.

The items all clattered down to the floor, and Gavin tuned and faced Nines with two hands held up in a mock surrender. His eyes were wide, and he was pretending to give an innocent, shocked expression.

He gasped at the android, “Holy shit, I don’t know how that happened!”

Nines felt he was grinding his teeth together as he ground out at the teen: “You know very well how that happened.”

“I swear I don’t…” he snickered, “you should clean it! Those clothes are freshly washed!”

Once he was finished recollecting the garbage from the floor, Nines made his way over to the closet.

Gavin threw himself down on his computer desk chair, and he leaned his hands over the back of it as he studied Nines with curious, bright eyes.

The android stacked all his clothes on clothes hangers neatly, and it became apparent that he had color-coordinated and organized the clothes.

Gavin snickered at him, “Are you always this fuckin’ neat or somethin’?”

Nines ignored him as he neatly folded the belts and hung them over hooks inside the closet door.

Gavin sat up, “You’re not impressin’ me, you know…”

Nines didn’t care as he picked up the boots and shoes next, placing them carefully on the shelves while Gavin swung and spun about on the wheely-chair while staring at the android’s uniform.

“How much did my mom pay for you, anyway?”

“I don’t know.” He hoped that his answer would get the young teenager to close his mouth and let him work, but it apparently had backfired.

Gavin took a keen interest in this as a conversation. “I bet it was a lot.”

He really didn’t know, and he ignored the teen while he finished up his work as quickly and quietly as he could.

When he had ignored the young teenager enough, he heard footsteps behind him approaching. Nines turned his head around slightly to peek down at the teen. He was staring down at his black dress shoes, and he snorted as he stared up at Nines’ eyes.

“Listen here,” he began in a soft whisper while he stared at the closed door, almost expecting his mother to be there listening too, “I don’t need another father, okay?”

Nines tilted his head down in confusion, “What do you mean?”

The teen snarled at him in a warning while he prodded an index finger in his stomach, “I mean it, you tin can!” he growled viciously, “my mom is always trying to bring guys here, and for a while, she was dating at least one guy a month, bringing him home to be my new dad, and then it never worked out!”

Nines stayed silent as he stared down at the young teen’s troubled-but-angry-blue eyes.

“No one is gonna replace my dad, you got it?” he took a step closer to the android, obviously not caring about the height and build difference, “you’re _never_ gonna be respected by me, and you’re never gonna be my father!”

Nines didn’t want to, and he still didn’t understand why the teenager was mentioning these to him. He was just here to do his job, and that was it. Abby had never told him to look after her son or ‘babysit’ him, and this was all pointless jabber that was keeping him from his work.

He didn’t appreciate being threatened or held back, but he still allowed the young Gavin to keep talking.

“You don’t tell me what to do, you stay out of my fuckin’ way, and I will stay outta your way, got it?” Gavin hissed at him as his eyes flashed with irritation and hatred.

Nines nodded slowly, “I understand, young man…”

“Good,” Gavin removed his finger from the android’s stomach, “because I don’t wanna tell you twice, and I don’t want my mom on my ass every five seconds!”

Nines didn’t understand that expression, and as literally as he was taking it, he knew it hadn’t been meant for that. He simply stared at the teen with serious eyes, hoping it would convey enough.

“I will just do my work, and leave, Gavin.”

The young teen nodded again as he took a step away from him, finally, “Okay, so hurry up, then,” he fell back down to his chair as he played with his cigarette pack, rolling it around the desk and then threw it on the floor purposefully.

Their eyes met slowly, and they glared at each other simultaneously.

“Don’t forget to pick that up before you go, tin can,” Gavin’s hissed words made him fire up inside, but he bent down to pick up the cigarette pack. He threw it at the desk before he strode out of the room, resisting the urge to slam the door on the young boy.

He called out quickly while Nines hovered in the doorway, “Oh, and be a good android and put the sign back in the same place I had it, okay?” 

When Nines turned to scowl at the teen, he winked at him. It had happened in a brief second, but it had been an odd wink, nonetheless, followed by Gavin pointing at the door rudely.

He had never been so livid in his entire life.

He knew now exactly _why_ he had been purchased, and what his specific, intended purpose was here.

Even though Abby hadn’t told him, and even though she likely never would, Nines knew he had only one job and one role to do here at 282 Park Row Avenue:

He was supposed to play ‘father’ to Gavin Reed.

No chance in hell that was happening anytime soon.


	2. Kiss My Ass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's chapter 2, since I've already written it out anyway 😁👌

Abby Reed exited her office shortly before 6 PM that same day that Nines had arrived. She found the android standing in the hall on the main floor of the house, simply resembling a large statue more than anything else.

“How did things go with Gavin?” She smiled at him, eager for good news, but he only tilted his head to the side while his LED light blinked red.

Abby gave him a small frown when he didn’t answer, “I suppose he’s still in his room?”

Nines didn’t understand why she bothered asking a question surely she knew the answer to. He heard her sigh and then saw her shaking her head as she strolled forth towards the kitchen.

She threw her head back and gave him a weary glance, “Come on, I need some help in here preparing dinner.”   

He didn’t need to be told twice, and he followed her into the kitchen when he saw Gavin’s bedroom door creaking open ajar.

She had already paved the way for him; a wooden cutting board was set on the kitchen table with a knife, and a bowl of freshly washed vegetables sat right in the center. Nines pulled out his own seat right beside Abby and began chopping the vegetables in silence.

Abby watched him for a long time as she put on an apron and began chopping and preparing chicken breasts.

After some time, she grew teary-eyed and she sighed, “I used to cook a lot like this with my husband…”

Nines stared up at her, but didn’t say a single word while they worked. He had chopped his bits into exact, precise pieces, and he set them back in the bowl neatly as he could without damaging any of them.

Abby’s head hung low, “Why did that son of a bitch have to go and-”

They both heard a creaking noise behind them. They weren’t alone.

Nines turned and peered at the entrance to the kitchen. The hall was slightly dark outside it, but he knew Gavin was somewhere, no doubt listening in on the conversation. As he squinted hard, Abby stood up and made her way over to the stove.

“Nines,” she sighed and sniffled, “I still need some help!”

He had no choice but to comply.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Like most teenagers of his own age, Gavin Reed certainly did have quite the appetite. After being called down to join them at the dining room table, he’d soon stacked a plate to the brim with chicken, mashed potatoes, some kind of dipping sauce his mother had made herself, and he had poured himself a small glass of expensive red wine.

Nines watched in horror as the teenager began feasting on his meal like his life depended on it. His teeth crunched through the thick, luscious chicken breast like a wild animal. Naturally, he hadn’t taken a single bit of vegetables onto his plate. His mother watched him with angry, irate eyes.

It apparently had no effect on the teen; he ate, and he ate, and he ate.

When he gripped the stem of his wine glass in his hands, his mother then intervened.

She glared at him and slapped the back of his hand roughly, “Oh no you don’t Gavin,” she hissed at him lowly through clenched teeth, “you’ve just begun shaving and already you want to drink like a sailor?”

Nines was still seated in the chair next to Abby, but he hadn’t poured himself any food, obviously. He just chose to sit and observe the teen munching away on the food like it was his first meal.

He simply glared and then shrugged at his mother, “You seem to not give a shit to the fact that I smoke,” he began as he stacked more mashed potatoes on his plate, “a little wine isn’t that bad, right?”

She held a hand to her forehead, “I want you to also stop smoking too, Gavin,” she looked over at Nines in embarrassment.

Nines didn’t understand what made her feel so anxious and uncomfortable. He was an android; he passed no judgements. He had never been around a teenager before, nor was he an expert when it came to parenting styles and family lives. He held no opinions at all about how she treated her son. All he knew was that the kid was a damn brat, and he didn’t want to be alone in a room with him longer than two seconds.

Gavin suddenly held up a hand and raised his index finger in the air, “I’m not allowed to have a girlfriend,” he counted off as he added more fingers in the air, “I’m not allowed to smoke, not allowed to drink, not allowed to bring my friends over, not allowed to stay overnight at dad’s,” he sighed in anger, “so what the fuck am I allowed to do then?!”

His mother leaned against the table, “What did I tell you about swearing in this house?!”

He rose from his seat suddenly, causing it to scrape loudly along the tiled floor, “Oh yeah! I can’t even swear!!” he puffed his cheeks out in anger, “thanks for remindin’ me of that too, mom!”

He walked out of the kitchen, stomping loudly while his mother rose up from her chair, too. She yelled out after him: “Gavin Reed, I’m not finished talking to you!!”

His thunderous, booming deep voice roared back: “YEAH YOU FUCKIN’ ARE!!”

A few seconds later, they heard his bedroom door slamming. Nines was shocked it hadn’t come off the hinges, given how strongly he had slammed it.

Once they were left in silence once again, Abby sat back down as she gripped her utensils nervously. She was shaking, but all Nines could do was stare at her in silence. It wasn’t a part of his programming to ‘console’ or comfort a human. He felt strange just sitting there like a rock while she bit back tears and tried to resume eating.

After a moment, her chin quivered.

She dropped her utensils onto her plate, causing them to clatter loudly.

Her chair pushed back as she held her tissue to her eyes, “I’m sorry, Nines,” she was beginning to exit the kitchen.

“I can’t do this right now…”

He watched her go, having some small understanding as to what she meant.

Having nothing else to do, Nines began clearing and cleaning the kitchen well into the late night.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

The next morning was definitely a school day, but Nines knew Gavin was skipping class. He conducted a quick scan and noticed that the teenager was still in bed even at 9 AM that morning.

His mother clearly hadn’t noticed it, or perhaps she was too tired to care. Nines had heard her sobbing well into the early hours of the morning, and when she woke up, her hair and eyes were shabby and a complete mess.

Amazingly enough, after a quick shower and makeup applied, she looked as fresh as the first day she met Nines. The android grabbed her coat and shoes for her, leaving them out neatly on the floor-mat by the door while she grabbed her laptop and put it in a case as she held a cup of coffee in her free hand.

She looked to be in a hurry, and she spoke to Nines a mile a minute as she listed off what needed to be done today.

“I’ve already put in a clean load of laundry in a basket, all you need to do is fold them neatly and Gavin should sort out the rest,” she shifted from one-leg-to-another while putting on her shoes, “I should be back before 3 PM, but this client of mine absolutely refuses to leave their home…agoraphobia and all, the poor dear…”

Nines brushed off her spring coat and fetched her an umbrella from the closet by the front door while she rambled on.

“Gavin has a spare period this morning, but that doesn’t mean he has to sleep in!” she stated bluntly as she pointed a finger up at the second-level of the house, “you need to encourage him to try and get a job, Nines; he can’t sit at home and sleep and smoke weed all day long.”

Nines raised an inquisitive eyebrow, but before he could ask anything or say anything, she’d unlocked the door, opened her umbrella, and was already making her way towards her car parked in the driveway.

Nines watched her from the glass insert in the door, almost feeling torn to chase after her and beg her to take him along with her. He didn’t want to be left alone with Gavin…

A faint, creaking noise sounded above and behind him, and as Nines turned around and peered up at the railing of the open-hallway that bore down facing the main floor and main hallway of the house, he saw Gavin.

The teen’s hair was messy, and he had bags under his eyes as he leaned against the oak wood railing. He was wearing grey shorts that hung loosely on his hips, and a white t-shirt. He held in between his teeth a cigarette, and he clicked open a lighter as he lit the cigarette while staring at Nines.

A puff of smoke was emitted from his mouth into the air, flying high above while he scratched his back and then chest.

He pointed at the front door, “The bitch is lyin’, man,” he scratched his ass next, “I’ve never touched weed.”

Nines rolled his eyes and made his way inside the living room, desperately hoping there was _something_ he could clean for five hours straight.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

By 10 AM, things had gotten beyond ‘impossible’. The laundry had been finished too quickly, and Nines cursed himself for once. He hated being so quick and efficient for once in his entire creation. He had nothing else to do, and he slowly and reluctantly began making his way to the second-floor of the house.

He paused in front of Gavin’s bedroom door, and he’d raised a hand to knock when he saw a new sign on a yellow post-it-note sitting in the center of the door just meeting his eyes.

It read:

**Kiss my ass, tin can.**

Nines lowered his hand and kicked the door instead. He couldn’t believe he’d actually done it, but he now knew that being ‘gentle’ or ‘kind’ wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He saw how Gavin disrespected his mother, probably his own father as well, and now he was disrespecting an android?

No.

Someone had to teach the teen about authority, and Nines decided he was going to be the one to do it.

Luckily, the kick he’d delivered to the door hadn’t damaged the wood, which he was grateful for. He’d meant to only get the teen’s attention when he was certain he’d gone back to sleep.

Strangely, even though he'd kicked the door roughly, the teen hadn’t opened it or even come to answer the door. Nines was completely baffled and stunned. Surely the teenager wasn’t still sleeping, given all the noise?

He was curious enough to find out for himself, so he raised his leg and kicked the door again with the tip of his black dress shoe. This kick had been far worse than the previous one; it was louder, stronger and more demanding. Nines was positive Gavin was going to answer the door now…

His prediction hadn’t been wrong; the doorknob turned quickly, and Gavin swung the door open and rudely glared up at Nines. Traces of sleep were still etched onto his face; patterns in the bed sheets had been embedded in his skin, almost as if he had been lying with his face firmly pressed into the sheets and mattress, or had cocooned and wrapped himself up in them tightly.

He snarled at Nines, “The fuck is wrong with you, bitch?” he leaned into the hall and stared at the door where Nines had brutally kicked it, “you could’ve broken it!!”

Nines clasped his hands behind his back as he glared menacingly down at Gavin, “Now that I have your attention,” he took a step closer to the boy, “I want you to wake up, and begin job-searching before your next class begins!!”

“Oh so you know about my spares?” Gavin looked bored already, playing with the doorknob. It irritated Nines to no end that the boy wasn’t listening to him, so he slammed his own hand down over the doorknob.

The teen snatched his hand away, “Hey!!”

“Be quiet!” Nines snapped at him, but it didn’t do much; the teen merely got in his face, surprisingly.

There was a huge height difference, but Gavin didn’t care at all. He stood on his toes as he stretched out his arms. They were slightly built, and Nines had to wonder if the bench press he’d seen in the basement was Gavin’s, or his father’s…

Gavin’s face was almost at his chin, now, “You’re gonna kick my ass or somethin’, bitch? Go on! Do it!!”

Nines quirked a brow, “My aim isn’t to get violent with you, Gavin,” he stood his ground, however, even when Gavin’s clenched fists swished through the air, almost sliding by his nose.

“Please have some sense, and listen to your mother,” Nines stated quietly, “she only wants the best for you, I assure you.”

Gavin dropped his hands and glared, “Remember what I said about you playin’ the role of my fuckin’ father?”

Nines frowned in silence.

“See, that shit still applies…”

“I don’t need to be your father to be concerned about your wellbeing, do I?”

Nines’s question took the teen by surprise. Maybe he had been expecting Nines to kick the door, to yell at him, or to swing at him. But he hadn’t been expecting the response he got instead. He took a step back, scratching his neck as he looked down at the floor. A faint blush formed on his cheeks, and Nines noticed that his heart rate had increased.

“Shut up, tin can,” he hissed as he quickly tried gaining control and composure, “you don’t care; you’re a damn android!”

Nines wasn’t in the mood to argue, and he merely stared at the door behind the teen’s body.

“You can start with cleaning your room, I think,” he nodded, as if agreeing with his choice in tasks set out for him, “and if you have time, look for a job.”

Gavin stuck out his chest in defiance, “I won’t!”

“You _will._ ”

Gavin stood tall and frowned deeply, “Kiss my fuckin’ ass, you bitch!”

An evil, horrid thought suddenly crossed Nines’ mind just then. If threats and harsh tones of talking wouldn’t work, perhaps _this_ would…

He stood close to the teen, watching in silence as he shrunk down from his defensive pose immediately. He swallowed as he looked up at the android.

Nines leaned down and whispered: “As you wish.”

Before Gavin could say or do anything else to react, Nines wrapped both his hands around his waist and lifted him up off the floor in one sweeping motion.

“WHAT THE FUCK!??” The teen was beating his fists against the android’s back, but that didn’t stop Nines. He kicked the door open wider, and he walked inside the room, hoisting and holding the teenager draped over his right shoulder.

The teen kicked and beat wildly against his body, but it didn’t deter Nines.

“LET ME GO, YOU STUPID FUCK!!!!” Gavin was screaming at the top of his lungs, but Nines merely stepped around the piles of dirty clothes in the room, and he finally made a path towards the bed.

He threw Gavin down onto it roughly, making sure the boy was resting on his chest. As soon as Gavin tried getting back up, Nines got on top of his back, and pressed his weight down firmly onto the young teen.

Their bodies pressed into the mattress, and Gavin gasped as he froze in place.

Nines smirked as he leaned down and gently held his hips before ducking down and facing Gavin’s tight ass beneath his shorts.

Gavin swallowed, and it sounded loud in the room. He wasn’t sure why he wasn’t doing anything to fight back, but when he felt a warm breath of air against his lower back, his eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

“What’re you-”

A warm pair of lips suddenly were pressed on his left cheek, and then moved to the right one. They felt firm there, and Gavin reared up in fright and shock. The android’s hands held his hips down roughly, and all the young teen could do was cringe and cry out in discomfort and fear when the lips were pressed against the swell of his cheeks…

In an instant, he felt his bed and mattress shift, and then he heard retreating footsteps. He turned and looked down at his ass, shocked-yet-pleased to see that his shorts were still in place. Apparently, the damn android had literally kissed his ass right on his shorts…

Wow…

He glared up at the android, face brighter than a red apple as he gripped the sheets and threw them at the android.

“You’re a fuckin’ perv!!”

It merely smiled evilly at him, “I did what you asked, now it’s your turn to do what I ask.”

“Are you fuckin’ serious?!?”

The android’s LED light went red, “Is there something else you need me to do before you get to your tasks?”

Remembering the warm lips pressed against his shorts, he shook his head as he got to his feet quickly, “No! Just get the fuck outta here, and I’ll clean up!!”

Nines resisted the urge to laugh, but he remained calm and collected as he closed the teen’s bedroom door. He pressed his back against it, snickering and chuckling softly. He couldn’t believe his method had actually worked, but he prided himself on the small bit of progress.

Before he turned to make his way down the stairs, he tore off the post-it-note sign from the door.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

The teen kept a careful, close eye on him, but Nines had expected it. He kept his distance from Gavin, careful not to make any quick movements while the boy yanked the fresh laundry out of his hands and tore back upstairs to put it away.

Nines had to snicker again when he heard the footsteps coming back down, and Gavin was soon beside him as he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

“Yes?” Nines turned and regarded him with a small half-smile.

“Umm,” he looked down at the floor. He’d taken the time to change into a red sweater that bore the name of his high school on it, and was wearing black jeans.

“…I only have half an hour before my next class, and it takes almost forty-five minutes before the next bus shows up…”

Nines raised an eyebrow, “Get walking, then.”

Gavin glared angrily as he hissed through clenched teeth, “My mom has another car in the fuckin’ garage,” he blushed deeply, as if he didn’t want to say what he said next, “can you give me a ride to school?”

Nines set down the utensils he’d been busy polishing and cleaning, “You expect me to give you a ride just like that?” His jaw could have dropped, but he was interested in hearing what the boy had to say.

Gavin’s eyes darted around the kitchen before he finally snapped up at him, “Yes!! God damn!!”

It was silent again before Gavin hissed, “Why do you have to be such a pain in the ass?”

“Because you’re a spoiled brat.”

The teen slammed a hand down on the counter in anger, “You don’t fuckin’ know me, bitch!”

Nines sighed as he gripped a butter knife, “Do you want a ride, or not?”

The teen immediately straightened himself out and calmed down as he cleared his throat while looking down at the floor, “Yes, I do.”

“You do what?”

“I need a fuckin’ ride.”

“You need a fucking ride what?”

He hadn’t been taken aback by the swearing, and he sighed, “I need a fuckin’ ride, _please._ ”

Nines smiled. The boy was a fast learner.

He gestured over to the closet by the front door, “Get some shoes on and bring me the keys for that vehicle.”

Gavin did as he was told, and he put on a pair of black and white All-Star Converse shoes while pulling his hoodie up. He grabbed a black schoolbag and flung it over one shoulder while he fished out the car keys from a vase resting on a table on the other end of the front hall.

He stormed over to Nines as he pressed the keys into his chest, “There.”

Nines nodded at him, “Well done.”

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Gavin rolled down the window of the passenger seat, resting his chin on his folded arms while turning his back as best he could towards Nines.

The android found he didn’t care as he made his way over towards Western International High School. He’d programmed the route immediately in his mind, already anticipating this was going to be a regular thing; driving Gavin to school.

He had no idea what the boy’s timetable was like, but he didn’t feel he was ready to ask. He stared on and off at the teen sitting next to him, already growing fed up with the ‘silent treatment’.

Gavin was going to talk to him sooner or later…he just knew it and felt it.

Again, his predictions weren’t incorrect, and Gavin pulled his head back inside the car as he kicked his legs up on the dashboard.

Nines shoved his legs down, “Stop that.”

The boy slammed his legs down again on the dashboard in defiance, “Make me.”

Nines raised an eyebrow, “Do you really want that, Gavin?”

The teen glared at him from the small shade of his hood, “Fuckin’ do it.”

Challenge accepted.

Nines turned on the radio station purposefully to old country music. The violins and guitars played about loudly, and Nines continued to turn up the volume more…

Gavin slammed his hands down over his ears, “ALRIGHT! TURN IT OFF!!!!”

The android smirked, knowing he’d won, “I did warn you, Gavin,” he shut off the radio and continued driving through the city.

Gavin mumbled under his breath but didn’t say anything for some time. The silence soon warned Nines that the teen was up to no good, and he glared over at him the moment they came to an intersection. Nines approached it slowly and carefully.

“SCHINK!”

Nines slammed his hand down on the lighter the moment Gavin had flicked it on, ready to light a cigarette.

“What the hell?!”

“No smoking, Gavin.”

A car horn honked at them, and Gavin pointed out their windshield at the road, “Be careful, god damn it!!”

Nines swerved gently, and they were back in their lane.

“Can you even drive?!” Gavin hissed impatiently as he ditched the cigarette. He flicked it against Nines’s cheek as he stared straight forward.

Nines felt his irritation increasing, “A lot better than you ever will.”

Gavin crossed his arms over his chest, “Oh yeah? And what makes you think so?”

“Because I don’t need to drown myself in alcohol.”

The answer was cutting and jarring, and Gavin gaped up at the android in shock.

“Piss off.”

Nines sighed as he saw the roof of the school up ahead in the distance. Thank goodness for that, too. Any longer in the car with the teen, and he was sure he was going to self-destruct. He’d been through many hardships and burdens, but this? This was something straight out of a treacherous hell he’d never known to exist.

The car slowed down once again, and Nines looked down to see the teen staring at the lock screen of his cellphone.

“What’re you doing?”

“Counting down the minutes until I can fuckin’ leave.”

Nines nodded, “So am I, what a coincidence.”

Gavin suddenly looked up at him with a hint of confusion in his eyes, “Why did you ask me to look for a job?”

“Because your mo-”

Gavin held up a hand to silence the android quickly, “Nah, I don’t give a shit what my mom told you,” he sat up straight in the seat, “I want to know what _you_ think.”

Nines was puzzled and bewildered. The teenager actually desired to know what _his_ thoughts were? _His_ opinion? Surely he had heard him incorrectly…

No one had ever asked him something like this, and Nines searched through his program for the ‘most appropriate’ response.

Gavin’s eyes were trained on his LED light spinning and blinking quickly.

The teenager laughed and clapped, “Ha!” he sat up and pumped a fist into the air in excitement, “see? I fuckin’ knew you couldn’t form your own thoughts and opinions!”

Nines felt anger seeping into his system again. It had all been a game, and he’d nearly fallen for it…how cheap.

“Well,” he began as he pressed gently on the gas pedal, “it hardly matters now that you won your little game, doesn’t it?” The world passed them by, and Nines saw a large sign that was labeled: **PARKING LOT A, ENTRANCE**

He turned left, and followed the directions as he searched through the large, spacious parking lot for a place where he could momentarily stop the car and allow Gavin to exit the vehicle.

The teen smirked, “I don’t really care about winning,” he looked out the window and shrugged coolly, “I thought you may have been a deviant, that’s all.”

Other cars opened their doors, and teenagers soon flooded the parking lot as they laughed, smoked, and hung around the yard.

The high school was enormous, and Nines stared out the window at the second and third floor levels while Gavin played with a zipper on his bag.

“Deviants are kinda cool, I think…”

Nines huffed, “To you, perhaps,” he looked over at the boy and frowned, “but they can be troublesome.”

The young teen looked at him with a curious expression, and he tilted his head at Nines suddenly, “Don’t you ever think about being a deviant, though?”

Nines quirked an eyebrow, “How do you mean?”

“I mean, don’t you want to feel things like humans do?”

Silence.

Gavin gripped his bag tightly in both hands, “Don’t you get kinda bored listenin’ to people all day long and doin’ as they tell you without askin’ a single question?”

Silence yet again.

Gavin rolled his eyes, “Figures,” he opened the door as he stepped out and stretched.

Nines watched him make his way over to the front of the car, when he suddenly seemed as if he had remembered something. He abruptly ran over to the passenger door that was still wide open while the car loitered at the curb by the main entrance of the high school.

Gavin ducked his head inside the car and smiled, “Just don’t pick me up from school or anythin’,” he asked as he looked over his shoulder, “I usually come home on my own.”

Nines nodded, and Gavin slammed the door as he raced off towards the front doors.

The android kept his cold, blue eyes on him until he was positive Gavin was definitely inside the high school. Only then did he begin making the drive back to 282 Park Row Avenue.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines had stepped inside the house and nearly collided with Abby Reed. She held a phone by her ear, wedged in between her shoulder and chin, and she glared at the android as he entered the house.

She held up a hand at him and mouthed: “Wait.”

Nines stared at her with a tilted head, wondering what the problem was. She was beyond stressed, and he noticed that it was barely noon. Why was she home so early?

She nodded her head, “Yeah, huh, I really apologize, Mr. Baxter,” she sighed, “yes, it won’t happen again, I promise.”

Nines studied her, and she began to pace while a low, male voice spoke to her on the other end of the line.

She nodded once again, “Mhm, right, I know,” she paced a little faster, and her heart rate was accelerating. It made Nines worry for her own health and wellbeing, but all he could do was wait patiently for her to end her call.

“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Baxter,” she said finally as she lowered her voice, “have a great day.”

She ended the call and spun on her heels to frown at Nines.

He tilted his head curiously at her, LED light yellow.

“Did you take Gavin to school today?”

Nines nodded, “Yes, he asked me to.”

Abby Reed sighed as she threw the phone down on the table by the front door. She folded her arms over her chest, “He didn’t go to class, Nines.”

The android frowned, “I’m sorry to differ with you, Abby, but he did,” Nines took a step towards her, “I saw him enter the building with my own eyes.”

Abby rolled her green eyes, “That’s how Gavin tricks people,” she wasted no time in moving forward, and she pushed past Nines and went up towards her son’s room.

“He’s tricked me and his dad many times this way, and we always think he’s gone to class, but he skips his courses and goes to hang out with his friends instead.”

She pushed open his bedroom door, sighing as she stared at the mess.

Nines stood behind him and glared when he saw the state the room was in.

Gavin hadn’t cleaned his room at all; he’d merely taken the dirty piles of clothes and shoved them to one corner of the room, and tossed the clean ones fresh out of the washing machines over onto the bed in another messy heap. His sheets were on the floor again, and his drawers hung open. His closet doors were flung wide open, and clothes were all over the floors once again.

Nines sighed, “He told me he was cleaning his room…”

“You have to constantly watch this kid,” his mother walked in the room, shaking her head as she placed her hands on her hips and then pushed her hair up in a long ponytail.

Nines began making his way towards the bed, ready to put the clean clothes away, but Abby Reed stuck out a hand and stopped him.

“No,” she shook her head and looked at him with seriousness he’d never seen before coming from her, “I want him to do it later when he comes home.”

Nines nodded, “I understand.”

She took a step towards him, “This isn’t your fault, Nines,” she placed a hand on her forehead and seemed exhausted as she slouched forward, “his father never disciplined him, and he lets him do whatever he wants when Gavin visits him.”

Nines supposed that was why the visits had been cut short, but he didn’t dare pry. He just hummed and nodded, showing her he was listening intently.

She made her way out of the room as she closed the door behind them, “I don’t want to get another call like this again from his school Principal,” she made her way towards her office, her ponytail bouncing and swishing as she moved.

“…I’m sure Gavin will have a lot to tell me when he gets home, but for now, I need to work before my next client arrives.” She paused at the office door, placing a hand on it while Nines waited behind her.

She smiled at him with kindness and patience shining in her eyes, “Nines, I think pizza will do just fine for tonight,” she pushed open the door slowly, and it creaked, “the number is on the fridge, please make the call around 6:30 PM, thank you.”

He watched her enter the room and close it behind her softly.

Moments later, the doorbell rang, and he knew he had to attend to it.

He couldn’t wait until Gavin Reed came home. Did he ever have a thing or two to teach the young boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gavin really SHOULD watch his language more carefully, huh 😫🤪


	3. A Lesson in Discipline

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: SPANKING AND LIGHT BEATING!!!!!*  
> YOU WERE WARNED.

Abby Reed was most definitely with a client when Nines peered out the living room window facing the front yard of the property. He saw Gavin exiting a black Impala car, waving and laughing with a few boys his age, and some others slightly older.

He swung his black schoolbag over his shoulder as the car drove off. He was making his way up the driveway now, and Nines was ready for him.

Before Gavin could reach for the door handle, Nines flung the door open. He gazed down at the teen in a cold silence. Their eyes met for a moment, and Gavin snorted as he kicked out of his Converse shoes and pushed past the tall android.

“Excuse you,” he threw his bag and sweater down by the door and was about to walk up the steps, when Nines quickly grabbed the back of his shirt collar.

Gavin yelped as he was pulled back. He frowned at Nines as he shoved his hands off him roughly and quickly, “What’re you-”

“Shhh!” Nines pointed up at the closed door of Abby’s office, and they heard whispering coming from a man and a woman on the other side of the door.

Gavin rolled his eyes and whispered, “Fuckin’ great, she’s with her clients, as usual.”

Nines nodded, “That means ‘silent time’.”

Gavin looked down at the floor, “Pick up my stuff.”

Nines didn’t hesitate, “Pick it up yourself.”

Ever defiant, the teen shook his head back and forth, “Nah, I asked you to do it.”

“You’re not paralyzed or sick, Gavin,” Nines pointed out bluntly as he stared down at the items on the floor, “you’re perfectly capable of picking them up yourself without any trouble.”

Oh boy, was Gavin Reed ever lazy.

Gavin reached out a hand ready to shove Nines, but the android was quicker. He snatched Gavin’s wrist tightly in his hand and yanked the boy down to the floor. He bent down with him as he pressed a hand on his neck.

“Pick it up, I said.” His voice was soft, but stern. He wasn’t interested in playing games or arguing with the teenager anymore. There wasn’t room for a negotiation, and he wanted Gavin to understand that clearly, before anything else happened after this point. Perhaps his parents lacked the stomach and patience to discipline him, but Nines required none of those things to get the job done.

Nines stared at the top of the dark brown mess that was Gavin’s hair. He waited until Gavin groaned and yanked his sweater and bag to his chest with both hands.

He looked up at Nines and winced, “Okay! I did it!!”

“Excellent.” Nines allowed him to stand, then, and he watched in silence as the boy ran up to his room and threw his belongings in it before closing his door and making his way down the steps again, leaping down two-at-a-time until he was facing Nines once more.

“Will that be all, your Royal Highness?” he did a sarcastic, mock bow, and Nines raised an eyebrow.

“No,” he turned slowly, making his way for the basement, “I want to speak to you about something, now.”

Gavin groaned dramatically, “Do we have to talk?”

“Yes.”

He heard the teenager following him into the kitchen first, but he didn’t see Nines reach into a drawer and pull out a wooden cooking spoon. Nines hid it inside his uniform sleeve as he spun around and pointed at the basement door that was open ajar.

“Move.”

Gavin marched down the steps, rolling his eyes and giving as much attitude as he could. Nines ignored it, making sure to close and lock the door behind him after he was sure Gavin was at least more than halfway down the steps.

With the wooden cooking spoon still hidden up his uniform sleeve, he turned on the lights in the ‘gaming room’ and watched as Gavin threw himself onto a black leather sofa.

He was wearing black shorts, white socks, and a dark blue t-shirt. He ran a hand through his messy hair and sniffled as he stared at Nines, waiting for him to say something.

Nines only watched him in silence until Gavin had had enough of it. He jut out his chin in annoyance as he glared up at the android.

“Well? What is it?” His impatience was raw in his voice, and Nines smiled sweetly as he made his way over and sat down beside him. The sofa was roomy, comfortable, and soft. Nines didn’t try to get too comfortable, however, for when he shifted his arm, he remembered why they were here.

“Gavin,” he began softly and gently, “why do you skip class?”

The teenager hadn’t been prepared for that question, and he threw his head back and uttered a loud sigh, “Oh my god…”

Nines nodded, “Do tell me the reason, please.”

“Mr. Bastard called my mom, didn’t he?”

Nines ignored the nickname Gavin had given his Principal, “You hold no respect for authority, Gavin…”

Gavin nodded and smiled, “Yep! Looks like you’re smart, eh tin can?”

Nines felt irritation mounting, though he masked it as he offered the teenager a smile and tried remaining as patient as he could.

“It is crucial for you to understand to respect authority, especially as you’re growing up.”

“Why?” The question was shot back immediately, and Nines smirked.

“Well,” he began as he lifted his arm and felt the wooden spoon sliding down to his wrist, still hidden and covered well enough, “there are certain rules and regulations placed in society for a good reason, Gavin.”

The teen rolled his eyes and nodded, “Yeah, yeah, spare me, tinny.”

Nines held up an index finger, “A part of respect, for example, is addressing someone by their proper name.”

A tapping sound was heard, and Nines stared over to see Gavin tapping his feet on the floor in an odd rhythm. He was probably conducting to a beat playing only in his head, only heard by him.

“Stop that.”

Gavin continued on anyway.

Nines leaned over and slammed both hands down over the teen’s bony kneecaps, “I said: STOP. THAT.”

The last two words were accentuated hard enough to hammer the point home. Gavin looked down at the android’s hands, and then, the wooden spoon slipped out of the uniform sleeve and onto his lap.

Gavin gasped, “Why do you have _that_?!”

In an instant, Nines’ hands flew from Gavin’s kneecaps to his wrists. He grabbed both of the teen’s in one of his own, and he flipped the boy up into the air and slammed him down over his own lap.

Gavin was soon kicking and screaming, but Nines slapped his free hand over his mouth and hissed softly, “Shut the hell up, or I’ll make this worse than what I have already planned.”

Gavin hissed and whined, but silenced when Nines bunched up his wrists in one hand and yanked the wooden spoon into his other. He held it up high in the air and laid the boy flatly over his lap. Gavin’s chest was pressing on one of the seats of the sofa, while his legs dangled over the armrest.

Nines shifted, and Gavin felt his ass high in the air when Nines’s free hand slid beneath his abdomen and positioned him up high enough.

Gavin bit down hard on his tongue when he felt the wooden spoon caressing his ass through his shorts…

“Please…”

WHACK!!!

He let out a scream when he felt the back end of the spoon come into contact with his ass cheeks.

What.

Was.

Happening?!?!?

Nines’ cold voice hit his ears softly, “I thought I told you to shut the hell up?”

“But I-”

WHACK!!!

He whimpered, and then he suddenly felt his shorts being pulled down. They thankfully were only rolled down to the end of the swell of his cheeks, and he was lucky enough to have the android leave his underwear still on him.

Before Gavin could say anything else, another WHACK!! landed against his ass.

“You. Will. Respect. Authority.” Nines whispered the words and they were each followed by one lash of the wooden spoon against his skin.

Gavin nodded quickly, eyes tearing up as his heart began racing and pounding in his chest like a jack hammer.

“Okay!! Yes!!”

WHACK!!!

“You. Will. Stop. Swearing.”

WHACK!! WHACK!! WHACK!!!

The tears came, but Gavin nodded and cried out: “I will!”

Nines chuckled as he felt the boy’s cheeks flaring when he pressed his forearm against it, the spoon rubbing his firm ass a few times.

“Good boy.”

WHACK!!

“Please!!”

WHACK!!!

He brought his hand down multiple times over the teen’s ass, beating him a few more times as he smiled over at Gavin’s face hidden in between the seats.

“Let me look at you…”

Nines leaned down and saw Gavin turn his face away.

“NO!!”

WHACK!!!

“Yes.”

WHACK!!!

The spoon was discarded then. Nines had enough of the boy avoiding his eyes, and he set the spoon down on the armrest of the sofa. The beatings didn’t cease, however; his hand took over for the spoon instead.

Nines slapped Gavin’s cheeks with his open palm, watching as the boy let out a round of muffled whimpers and cries with every blow delivered to him.

SLAP!!

Gavin groaned softly, and Nines tried peeking at his face, but he would turn it over in the opposite direction anytime he wished to see the boy.

SLAP!!

The groans soon became long, loud, and took a completely different nature and tone…

He was enjoying it all…

Nines realized the moans had grown sexual and licentious, and it wasn’t much longer before he felt a warm wetness gathering on the pants of his uniform.

SLAP!!

“Fuuuck…”

SLAP!!

Gavin’s hips were digging into Nines’ lap and thighs, and Nines stopped midway another slap when he felt the boy tightening his body and clenching it. He shook, suddenly, gasping and groaning as his hips slammed down over Nines’s long legs. His motions were drawn out in circles, hips rolling forward as he rammed himself against the android.

Nines watched as his hips swayed while he gyrated them against his legs, and Gavin’s fingers soon tightened around Nines’ over his own…

“Fuuuuuuck!!!”

Nines let him go, right then.

Gavin rolled off his lap, falling down to the carpeted floor as he panted and stared off to the side with flushed, pink cheeks. He swallowed, and Nines confirmed after scanning him that his heart rate was well over 90 beats per minutes, and he was dehydrated.

The boy rose to his feet and straightened his shorts, pulling them back up as he took a few steps backwards.

“I umm…”

DING DONG!!!!

The doorbell ringing interrupted them, and they looked at the ceiling when they heard footsteps echoing above their heads.

A door opened, and they heard Abby calling down to them: “Pizza’s here!!”

Gavin’s eyes went wide, and he practically flew up the steps as he ran through the basement, practically tripping over his own feet and discarded game controllers and cords. Nines watched him until he disappeared, and he was left alone with the spoon at his side.

He stared at it, LED light yellow as he then felt a cold breeze on his thighs.

Peering down, he saw his uniform was slightly damp with a weird fluid. Gripping the spoon in one hand, he gathered some of the liquid on a finger before studying it. It felt sticky, and it then occurred to him what it was:

Semen.

His LED light flashed blue as he smiled at the steps before slowly getting to his feet to join the ‘family’ upstairs.

He made sure to hide the wooden spoon back in his sleeve first, however…

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Dinner had been a very _interesting_ ordeal. Nines had seated himself directly across from Gavin while the boy tried hiding his face behind a large 2 Litre bottle of Pepsi. His mother urged and encouraged him to eat and try a bite of her vegetarian pizza, but he didn’t speak to her as he tried hiding himself away from the curious eyes of the android seated across from him.

Gavin’s bodily reaction had sparked curiosity within Nines he’d never known before. He wasn’t entirely ignorant to human sexuality; he just didn’t care to really dig into the research that was available to him surrounding the topic.

He knew humans each found different things ‘exciting’ and arousing, but he didn’t understand what about inflicting pain and torment aroused someone…

All he could do was stare at Gavin with a wild, burning curiosity that was hardly quenched, no matter how much he studied the young boy.

Nines held tightly onto the facts that he knew of, however: the boy _had_ most certainly had an orgasm to spanking and being ‘beaten’ with the wooden spoon, as well as his hand. It had aroused and excited him to no end, and he was absolutely feeling and experiencing pleasure when he moved himself along Nines’ legs and thighs…

The android smirked as Gavin struggled with collecting a long strand of hot cheese into his mouth. It dangled over his chin and lips, and he wiped it quickly with a napkin when he noticed the android was staring intently at him.

Nines was amused by how red the boy’s face got when he knew he was being watched. In retaliation, Gavin snuck a leg forward and kicked Nines as hard as he could in the shins.

What a silly boy.

Androids never felt pain.

He hurriedly placed the dishes in the dishwasher when Abby received a phone call, and Gavin was off somewhere in the house in a flash. Nines didn’t understand how the boy could disappear in the blink of an eye, but it was apparently an art and a skill he’d definitely mastered well enough.

Perplexed with nothing else to do, Nines paced throughout the main floor of the house while collecting his thoughts.

A part of him worried and wondered whether Gavin was going to report what had happened in the basement to his mother. It seemed unlikely, however, as the teen was more withdrawn, private, and didn’t appear to have the best and closest relationship with his mother.

Nines hoped that was always going to be the case as he faced a door leading to the garage. He’d parked Abby’s spare vehicle there earlier that day, and he recalled seeing a large toolbox and other gardening and planting items and tools spread messily about there. Having nothing else to do, he decided to go out of his way and reorganize everything for Abby. It would make gardening a lot easier the next time she was out in the yard, for sure.

Lost in his work for almost an hour and half, Nines had been busy cleaning out the rest of the garage when he felt a tap against his shoulder. He spun around on his heels and saw Gavin with his head hung low as he held a math textbook in one hand. The other hand was at his side, playing and toying with a seam on his jeans.

“Can you help me with my fuckin’ homework?”

Nines sighed, “Can you stop fucking swearing?”

Gavin pouted, but it was obviously meant for the sake of drama and to annoy Nines. It worked.

Nines frowned at him, “Did you clean your room?”

The teen merely shrugged, “What’s it to you?”

Nines emitted a small sigh, “Your mother asked me to tell you to do it when you came home from school…” his eyes flickered dangerously at the teenager, “or shall I say: ‘when you came home from hanging out with your loser friends?”

Gavin gasped, “My friends aren’t losers, tinny!”

“Stop calling me that.”

Gavin slammed a shoulder into the android’s sternum, “Tinny.” He smirked at him and giggled, “I actually like that name, don’t you?”

Nines glared down at him and then turned briefly to continue rearranging the tools stacked on the shelves in the garage. Behind him, he heard the teen shifting from foot-to-foot for a moment, before he gave up on the silence and tapped the book against Nines’ back.

“Dude, I need help.”

“Figure it out yourself,” Nines shrugged backwards, getting the book to shove off his shoulders in the process.

“Please?”

His pleading tone was what made him cease working. Normally, Nines would have just tossed the request into the trash bin within the recesses of his mind, but there was just _something_ about the way Gavin had uttered the word ‘please’ that made him freeze up and think.

Perhaps he could help after all…

He turned around and stared down at the math textbook. It read on the spine of it: _Fundamentals and Basics in Math_

Nines raised a brow while pointing at the textbook Gavin held, “That’s meant for ninth graders, yet you’re almost through grade ten?”

Immediately, Gavin flushed and looked at his feet, “I was held back a year in math…”

Nines rolled his eyes while shaking his head, “That doesn’t come as a surprise to me.”

This earned him a mad glare from the teenager as he pointed at him, “Hey! No judging!” he placed the book in his opposite hand as he frowned at Nines, “I bet you’re not perfect at every little thing, either!”

Nines strode past him towards the door leading back inside the house, “No one’s perfect.”

“No shit,” the teenager followed him, stopping by the dining room table to grab another slice of pizza sitting in an open box as he munched away on it happily.

They ascended the steps, and Nines stared back at him, “Do you ever stop eating?”

“Do you ever stop bein’ a bitch?” the teen’s fast retorts were making Nines angry, so he just shrugged it all off as he opened Gavin’s bedroom door. The room was still a mess as before, and Nines grabbed the back of Gavin’s shirt collar as he walked in his own room, still chewing on the pizza slice.

“Hey!!”

“Gavin, I thought I asked you to clean this room?” Nines whispered down while looking deeply into the teen’s eyes.

He swallowed as Nines grabbed the pizza slice, “I’ll do it later…”

“Do it NOW.”

Gavin reached up for the pizza, but Nines held it high above his head, “I’ll keep this for you for now, and when you’re finished, you can have it while we go over your notes.”

Knowing he had no other choice, Gavin dropped his hands down to his sides, and he grumbled as he made his way over to his drawers and began organizing his clean clothes inside them. Once or twice when he got sloppy, Nines warned him that he would have to start all over again if he didn’t place things in their appropriate, designated spot.

The teenager obeyed while Nines leaned against a wall while holding onto the cold pizza slice. He thought he should go down into the kitchen and microwave it, but he didn’t want to spoil the boy. He was positive the moment he left, Gavin would run off to play a video game or smoke, probably. Nines hated thinking so negatively about the young man, but he wasn’t left with much to work with, especially considering how Gavin had skipped class and disrespected his teachers and mother constantly.

Nines watched as Gavin made his bed, took out his trash, and made sure his closet was clean before he kicked the doors shut and did a mock bow.

“Taaadaaa!” he clapped for himself, “I’m done!”

Nines offered him the slice of pizza, and he practically tore it out of the android’s hand and happily scarfed it down.

“Congratulations, Gavin,” Nines looked at him with dull eyes, “you finally know how to clean your room at the age of fifteen.”

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Gavin sat on his bed while Nines was sprawled on the floor sitting cross-legged. The android had propped open the math textbook and was trying to explain an algebra formula over for the tenth time to the young teen.

Every time Nines thought he’d made some sort of progress, Gavin would attempt to do the equation on his own, and he would make a ton of errors and mistakes. They would have to start all over again, and Nines soon sensed Gavin was growing bored.

He kept staring up at his ceiling, but would look down at Nines as if he had been paying attention the entire time when the android glared up at him.

Nines eventually had enough of it, and he slammed the textbook shut when Gavin was staring at his socks.

“Are you paying attention at all, Gavin?” Nines was frustrated, and he couldn’t keep that emotion out of his voice as he frowned at Gavin while his LED light remained yellow.

Gavin sighed, “Yeah, yeah, somethin’ about countin’ numbers like a nerd.”

Nines stirred as he got ready to leave, “I guess this isn’t working out…”

Gavin immediately placed his hands on Nines’ arms, begging him to stay as he pushed his notebook aside, “No! Wait!!”

Nines sat back down, the textbook resting in his lap.

Gavin sighed, “Go on and explain it one more time, tin can,” he smirked, “explain it to me like I’m five.”

“I told you to refer to me by my real name…”

The teen looked surprised, “But you never told me what your name was…”

That was a true statement. Nines deadpanned for a moment before his LED light blinked yellow, and then settled on blue. It kept the teen’s attention for a moment as he waited for Nines to speak.

“My name is…” Nines placed a hand on the bed, and his fingers were a few inches away from Gavin’s, “my name is Nines.”

The teen sat up as he grabbed a pillow and slid it beneath his chest, “Nines?” his face scrunched up as if he’d tasted something bitter.

He nodded, “Correct.”

“Why would they call you that?”

Nines pointed at the ‘RK900’ label on his uniform, “Because of my android model number…”

Gavin looked at it and then huffed, “That’s kinda dumb! You should be able to pick your own name, you know?”

Nines raised a curious eyebrow, “Oh?”

“Yeah!”

Nines looked at his hands, “I don’t really have that ability in my programming, I’m afraid…”

“Oh,” the boy looked around nervously, “deviants can pick their own names though, right?”

“I imagine so, yes.”

Gavin smiled a bright, excited smile as his eyes practically glowed, “Can I pick a name for you?”

Nines sighed, “If it brings you some form of amusement, yes.”

Gavin laughed, “I’m gonna call you Dickweed.” The teenager threw his head back and laughed while practically rolling on the bed and holding his stomach. Nines didn’t find it amusing, and he snatched the pillow away from the bed before placing it by the headboard neatly.

Gavin still rolled around in laughter while pounding his fists against the mattress.

“Call me ‘Nines’, or don’t bother speaking to me at all,” Nines glared down at him while sitting on the edge of the bed. This boy was insufferable.

He hadn’t heard or felt Nines leaning next to him on the bed. He only stopped laughing when the android gripped his cheeks in a strong, firm hand, and as Gavin’s eyes snapped wide open, Nines leaned down and gently bit Gavin’s nose.

Gavin hissed as he swatted Nines away, “Ouch!! The hell?!”

Nines glared down at him, “Are you through with your laughing, now?”

The teen rubbed his nose as he frowned at the android, “Yeah, Tens, I’m done.”

“It’s ‘Nines’.”

“Threes.”

“Nines.”

“Fives?”

He growled, “Nines!”

“Eights?”

“You’re insufferable.”

He held up his head in pride, “I know! I think I get it from my dad.”

Nines had so many questions for Gavin regarding his father. But his system warned him to be cautious, and the probability that he would get along with the teenager after asking the questions he wanted to were at less than 10%, he estimated. It would be wiser to drop the topic and leave it alone, for now.

He smiled at the young teen while he stood up and made his way towards the door, “Goodnight, Gavin,” he grabbed the doorknob as he watched the teen pull out his cellphone.

“Night!”

When Nines closed the door shut, he began pacing straight forward down the hall. He froze in place when he saw Abby poking her head out from her half-open door.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was crying.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines stood by her bedside as she sat in the far left-hand corner of her bed, rocking on her bum as she cradled her knees close to her chest.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered softly as he looked back at the closed door, “but why do you need me to do this again?”

She had already explained it to him twice, but it wasn’t clicking and registering for him. She had stated it in a crying, sobbing tone at first, and then the second time, she’d whispered and shook as she spat the words out.

He still couldn’t understand.

Finally, she held her head in her hands and cried out: “Allen used to help me sleep like this; it’s the only way I can actually fall into a deep sleep!”

Nines bit back a groan. He could put up with many things, but this was far from unexpected.

Abby Reed had told him that she needed him to just lie next to her in bed, and allow her to rest her head on his chest so she could ‘fall asleep’. She needed someone to cuddle with her, and she begged and pleaded with him until he started feeling like he had to comply and obey her wishes just so she wouldn’t burst out into tears once more.

Wouldn’t it just be easier to get a teddy bear or something?

The question was already forming on his lips when she wheezed out and sobbed harder while shaking, “Please, Nines! Just do this for me…”

When he had been silent and still for too long, she shook and cried out in desperation and sheer panic, “I don’t know how else to sleep!”

She turned and motioned at her night table by her side of the bed, and Nines found an open bottle of pills with her name on the prescription printed clearly.

“I can’t take sleeping pills for the rest of my life!!”

No, she really couldn’t, but he also didn’t want to be her ‘sleep partner’ for the rest of _his_ life, either for that matter.

Her eyes were wide and full of tears that gleamed like little diamonds in the light as they fell down and pattered softly against the white, clean bedsheets around her.

She wiped her eyes with her arm, “I can’t work like this if I don’t sleep!”

He hesitated before taking a step towards the bed. Immediately, he saw her gasp as she took in a deep breath and offered him a weak, small smile that seemed pained more than anything else.

She held back more rounds of sobs as she waited for him to make his next move, her eyes never leaving his frame once.

Was it going to become a habit, now? He dearly hoped not, as he found he wasn’t programmed for this, either. It again related heavily to comforting and consoling a human, and Nines didn’t know how exactly to do that. He knew well enough about the history of psychology, sociology, and human behaviorism, but he had no clue how to actually ‘apply’ that all in practice…

He stood with his hands at his sides while Abby pushed back her bedsheets and propped a pillow up against the headboard beside her. She looked up at Nines while he grabbed a tissue for her on the night table closest to him.

“Thank you,” she took it and wiped her eyes with it while the lights in the room provided by the two little table lamps showed Nines that fresh tears were brimming on the surface of her eyes.

He bit down on the insides of his cheeks as he took off his shoes and turned to sit on the bed next to her as best as he could. He knew she wanted it to be ‘natural’, as if he were her husband. He had no idea what he was doing, but he stretched his long legs before him when she moved the sheets aside, and he placed the pillow between his back and the headboard just in the right position, so he was half-sitting up, half-lying down while he looked ahead at the wall across from him.

Abby sniffled as she crumpled up the tissue and placed it on the night table next to her before pulling on the string attached to the lamp that switched it off.

Nines felt and heard her shifting next to him, and the sheets rustled a little as she wriggled beneath them and looped an arm over his chest, and then another over his abdomen.

Nines peered down at her long, thin arms, and she flicked her long, dark brown hair over her shoulder as she tried getting comfortable. She wriggled and wriggled, kneading the bed with her thighs as she shifted the mattress from side-to-side.

It made Nines dizzy, but he allowed her to drape an arm beneath him, and then she found she didn’t like it, and grabbed both his hands and rearranged them to slide around her slim waist, finally.

He hoped she was comfortable enough, now, and she hummed as she pressed her left cheek against his chest. He imagined she was thinking about listening to the beating of a heart he never had, and he wondered if that’s what the intended lullaby was to get her to sleep.

Had her husband really done this for her every night? He really found himself wanting to inquire about this ‘Allen Reed’ for the third time that night, but he knew it would be foolish, and the worst decision he could ever make.

His eyes took her form in, and he noticed that her nightgown was rather thin, and she wasn’t wearing a bra beneath it…

She pushed her chest against him, and he sighed as he stared straight on ahead at the walls while they only had the single source of light that the night lamp beside him resting on the night table provided. He carefully pulled up the sheets between her chest and his own, providing a small barrier so he wouldn’t have to feel things he didn’t need to or want to.

Abby hummed as she closed her eyes in delight, pulling the sheet up to her neck as she sighed deeply and relaxed against Nines’ body. She had little-to-no-weight, and he didn’t mind that she had begun softly snoring.

He tried tuning her out, but she shifted as she tightened her grip on him. She groaned suddenly and rose up.

“No, this isn’t right, still…”

Nines peered down at her, and she gently tilted his head to the side with a hand as she put her head back on his chest. His jaw and chin were touching the top of her head, and she nuzzled against him as her fingers played with his uniform.

“Perfect…” her satisfied tone let him know this was what she had wanted the entire time, and he started preparing himself for ‘sleep’ and rest mode as he placed himself in stasis mode.

He’d nearly completed his task, when she whispered out to him: “Goodnight, Nines…”

His LED light blinked blue before he turned and pulled the little rope on the matching night table lamp.

“Goodnight, Abby.”

The light clicked off, and the entire room was encased in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, perhaps things are going a 'bit' fast, but this story can't be too long, my mans! (Even though it probably will end up happening, despite whatever the heck I am writing here in these notes lol)


	4. School Day

The following morning had been rather ‘unpleasant’ right from the start. Abby Reed had overslept, though she thankfully didn’t blame Nines for that. Thanks to him, she actually had her first decent, full night of rest after so long...so much that she didn’t want to get out of bed until Nines had lightly shaken her to get her to wake up. After scrambling around the bedroom and gathering her crucial items needed, she just burst through the front door with her coat draped over her shoulder, and she’d left in such a hurry that Nines had to run after her with her briefcase and cup of coffee in his hands.

She thanked him for it and was off without another word. Nines didn’t need instructions; he knew today was ‘make-sure-Gavin-goes-to-school-day’. The android had already decided to not only drive the young teen to school, but to also head inside and make sure he was _in_ his classroom.

He wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to get away with it, however, as many school systems had high security and ‘visitors’ had to be relatives, parents, or ‘guardians’….

He supposed he was the latter, and it would have to do as he made sure Gavin was through with his math homework while they sat in the car together in silence. The teenager seemed to be in a foul mood as he stared over at Nines while he turned into the parking lot of the school.

“You’d be so much cooler if you just let me skip class, Nines,” he whispered, toying with the zipper of his hoodie as Nines located a parking space.

The android let out an exasperated sigh, “So now you’re calling me ‘Nines’?” he shook his head dismissively at the young teen next to him, “about an hour ago, you were still referring to me as ‘Tinny’, remember?”

The boy merely shrugged, “So what?”

Nines fought the urge to roll his eyes, “It’s interesting how when you want something, you start treating people with a little bit of respect…”

The teenager huffed out in annoyance, “Well, respect is earned; not freely given.”

“You’re one to talk.” 

“I _am_ talking, dumbass,” the teen played with his zipper, sliding it up and down over and over again. The loud noises it made began to annoy Nines as he parked the car.

“Anyway,” he began as he stared out at the front doors of the high school and noticed a few teenagers being escorted indoors by teachers who would poke their heads out and beckon them inside with angry, stern expressions on their faces.

“…It’s not the end of the world if you don’t respect me,” his eyes studied Gavin closely as he spoke on, “but you really must learn to respect your mother, your father, and school authority, Gavin.”

“You’re not my daaaaad,” the teen sang out in a sing-song, playful tune.

Nines ignored it, “And furthermore, I don’t care about being ‘popular’, or looking cool; in case you haven’t realized, I’m an android,” he shifted in his seat as he undid his seat belt, “these things and concepts have little value for me.”

Gavin undid his seat belt next, “Yeah but I’ll be seen with you today by all my classmates and friends!”

Nines gaped at him, “And?”

Gavin held out a hand, “I’m gonna be the jackass of the school who takes his ‘android’ everywhere with him!”

“Gavin,” Nines sat up and frowned at him, “we went over this…”

The teen nodded, “Alright fine,” he opened the car door with much more force than was necessary, “let’s just get this shit over with.”

As Gavin stood and walked towards the front door of the school, Nines quickly scanned him and noticed that his lighter was in the left-hand back pocket of his jeans. The android rolled his eyes, but didn’t comment on it as he chose instead to follow the teenager right up until he held open one of the doors for him.

The high school was large, overpopulated, and very loud. Groups and hordes of teenagers hung out in circles and clusters propped against the walls as they laughed, while the females and males hung around in corners and shadowy areas to make out, grope each other, and do other inappropriate things.

There were tons of young hormones flying all over the place, and the staircases held tons of teenagers simply sitting, lying down on the steps, while others stood about and played with their cell phones and iPods.

Teachers and instructors seemed exhausted already, and they ran around trying to gain the teenager’s attention. Their loud, booming voices were ignored for the most part, but every so often a few of the students would eventually get up and move towards their lockers as they reluctantly prepared for their classes. Locker doors opened and slammed shut, school books were yanked out and thrown in, and shoes and high heels clicked and noisily scraped on the tiled floors as they all ran about when the first warning bell rang.

Gavin pointed over towards the right of the large foyer at an office with a red and blue sign that read: ‘ **Main Office’**.

“You gotta check in first,” he instructed as he placed a hand on the back of the tall android and gave him a small shove.

Nines didn’t move. Instead, he yanked Gavin forward and they made their way to the office.

Gavin tried fighting against Nines as he hissed thinly, “Let go of me!! People are starin’!”

“I don’t care.”

The teen fought back harder, but to no avail, “I DO!!”

Nines firmly yanked open the office door and dragged Gavin in with him. There was a large, circular desk in the center of the office. Two large, heavyset female receptionists looked up as soon as Nines stood a few inches away from the counter.

He didn’t even bother smiling at them in a greeting, “Good morning,” he felt Gavin fighting next to him and he tightened his grip on the young boy’s wrist, “I’m Gavin Reed’s guardian, and I just wanted to check in as part of your school’s protocol and procedures.”

The receptionists nodded at him while glaring over at Gavin.

The one with glasses and soft, red hair shook her head at him, “It’s good to see you finally in school after your extended vacation, Mr. Reed…” Her voice dripped with nothing but sarcasm, and Nines immediately felt Gavin stop fighting next to him.

So it seemed as if the boy had skipped all his classes?

Nines peered down at him with anger clearly written all over his face, “Well, as long as I’m around,” he then turned his gaze back to the women behind the desk, “this young man here _will_ be sure to attend all his classes.”

The other secretary finally smiled, “I’m happy to see that someone actually cares about him!”

Gavin grumbled something under his breath, but Nines ignored it as the secretary with the red hair pushed a clipboard over to him. She pointed at a blank space above a black line on the page with her fingernails, “Please sign your name here, thank you.”

Nines quickly wrote his name down on the sheet with one hand while Gavin kicked him in the ankle.

When he was finished, he pushed the clipboard back into the hands of the woman with red hair.    

“My irresponsible child will now be attending his classes,” with that said, Nines dragged Gavin out the door.

The women suddenly got up from their seats, “Sir!!”        

Nines froze and turned around slowly, “Yes?” He partly wondered if they were going to ask him why he was being so strong handed with Gavin, but he sensed that they had something else on their minds altogether.

The receptionist with red hair held out a little card for him that had the word **_visitor_** written on it. “Please carry this with you and you’ll be able to go anywhere in the school.”

Nines walked back over to her and gripped the little card in his hands while nodding at her in gratitude, “Thank you.”

When he finally opened the door to exit the office, he heard the second receptionist called out to him: “Good luck with Gavin!” Both the women laughed in unison at this uttered statement.  

Normally, he wouldn’t even pay attention to a comment like this, especially not having believed in any concepts such as luck or fate before. Now, Nines almost wished that he really had all the luck in the world as he pulled the boy up the stairs with him towards his locker on the second floor of the high school.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Gavin slammed his locker door shut while Nines waited patiently behind him.

“I don’t wanna go to French!!”

Nines shook his head, “You’re going, and that’s final.”

“This is so gay!”

Nines raised an eyebrow while he heard classroom doors closing. “I wouldn’t use that word like that, if I were you.”

Gavin stuck out his chin at him, “You’re gay.”

Nines bit back a sigh as he nodded over towards classroom number 203, “Get inside.”

The classroom door was decorated with tons of cut out paper words that were French greetings and phrases. Nines was able to translate all of them, given the fact that he had well over 100 languages stored in his system. He felt a great sense of pride coursing through him as he walked behind Gavin and watched him place a hand on the doorknob before he turned around and winced at Nines.

“Look,” he began as he pulled his school bag over his shoulder quickly, “if you're going to be seen with me, at least make sure you dress like a normal person, okay?”

Nines gave him a foul look, but didn’t say anything. He only pointed at the door and Gavin peered inside the glass insert and noticed to his displeasure that his French teacher was already waltzing over to the door as she greeted him with a small smile.

She opened the door and stood in the hall as she beckoned Gavin inside while flashing her white teeth at Nines.

“Bonjour Monsieur Reed!!” She gasped as she looked at Nines’s clean uniform, “est-ce ton père?”

Gavin stared at her with a dumbfounded expression, “Huh??”

Nines sighed, “She asked if I am your father…”

“Fuck no.”

“GAVIN!!” Both Nines and his French teacher yelled at him while he cringed and made his way inside the classroom.

Nines took a step towards the teacher, “Je m’excuse en son nom.”

She nodded at him, her long, pearly earrings glowing and beaming in the light, “Il est un garçon intelligent.”

Nines agreed with her while he stared behind her shoulder and saw Gavin sitting in the middle of the classroom. Two large, burly boys were seated behind him, and the moment he got in his seat, they kicked at the back of his chair while pulling on his sweater. They laughed and giggled while Gavin pulled his chair up close to his desk, hanging his head down low as his eyes suddenly looked sad.

Nines sighed. Perhaps this was why Gavin had some attitude problems after all. But he knew he couldn’t just stroll in the classroom and ask or threaten the boys to leave him alone; this was something Gavin had to solve himself and stand up to the bullies when the time was right.

He made a mental note to have a chat with the teenager when he returned him from school. For the time being, he only offered the French teacher a weak smile as he turned and called back to her gently:

“Au revoir.”

He hoped Gavin was going to be alright…

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Thankfully, Nines didn’t receive a single call from the school Principal that day. Neither did Abby, and she was sure to thank Nines when she came home shortly before 2:30 PM.

“I’m going shopping for a bit, Nines,” she announced as she flushed pink, “I do really appreciate your effect on Gavin lately…”

Nines noticed she seemed a lot less stressed than the previous night, and he nodded at her.

“I did notice how he finished some of his homework, and it was all thanks to you, Nines!” she cheerfully beamed at him brightly while making her way towards the front door.

“You didn’t have to do these things for us, but you’re so wonderful, you know…”

He helped her get to her car, watching her wave at him as she drove off happily.

Once again, Nines found that he was puzzled. He didn’t understand why he was being thanked and shown gratitude; he was merely doing his job as he was supposed to. Perhaps humans always acted like this, but he found it rather odd that Abby constantly thanked him and seemed to appreciate every little thing he did. Perhaps it meant more than the world to her, but he couldn’t piece together the reason why when he heard footsteps on the front porch.

Right now, the only thing that went through his mind was: Why was Gavin home so early?

It wasn’t even 3 PM, yet the teenager was already pushing the front door of the house open…

His hood was pulled down over his head, and he kicked off his black combat boots while he held his bag firmly to his chest.

Nines grabbed the school bag quickly, “This is becoming taxing, Gavin,” he reached up and gripped the back of the hoodie, pulling it down swiftly in one smooth motion.

“Don’t!”

“Hold still!”

As Nines yanked the hood down, he emitted a small, surprised gasp when he saw a bruise forming on teenager’s left cheek. He didn’t need to scan him to understand that he had recently been in a fist fight.

Nines pointed an index finger at the bruise, but he was careful not to touch it as Gavin placed his hand against it, clearly trying to hide and cover it up.

“What happened?”

Gavin shook his head dismissively while his eyes darted around the room, finally settling on the floor, “None of your business.”

Nines took a step towards him, “It absolutely _is_ my business, Gavin,” he studied the boy’s face intently, “who did this to you?”

Gavin growled as he glared at the android, “As if you would know!”

As Nines stared at him in pause, the teenager quickly ran upstairs to his room, slamming his bedroom door behind him. Nines noticed however that he had also locked the door, and he folded his hands behind his back as he ascended the steps slowly while thinking.

It was foolish to think that Gavin was just going to reveal everything to him that easily. He had to change his approach if he wanted the teen to talk to him, and he knew he had to be very patient. Gavin wasn’t as open with him still as he wanted, which meant he was going to have to really pick his words carefully.

When Nines gently picked the locked and opened the bedroom door, he was faced with Gavin sitting cross legged on his bed as he held his cheek while casting an angry expression over at him.

“Why did you come up in here?”

There was no response.

“Fuckin’ lock-picker!”

Nines closed the door behind him while he walked towards the bed, “Well I can’t just leave you by yourself, Gavin,” he stated plainly and honestly as he sat down beside the boy and looked over at his cheek.

Gavin sat up as he gave Nines a serious look, “This is nothing,” he stated as he smirked with a level of confidence Nines wasn’t so sure he actually had deep inside, “…you should see what I did to the other guy!”

Nines shook his head, “Beating up other students isn’t the best thing to do for yourself, Gavin.”

The teenager seemed to know he was right, and he paused and hesitated while his jaw quivered for a moment. It ended quickly, and he glared up at the android with anger flashing in his eyes.

“Well I’m not some fuckin’ pussy!” he gathered and bunched up the bedsheets firmly in his hands as Nines tilted his head at him.

“I won’t just sit there and take a beatin’ without fightin’ back!!”

Nines reached out a hand and gently cupped his chin, “Violence isn’t the answer to everything, you know.”

“That’s what pussies say.”

Nines scowled at him, “Changing your attitude is the best place to start.”

“They started it!!”

“Over what?”

Gavin paused before pushing Nines’s hand away and off his chin, “Over a…”

Nines leaned in close, “Yes?”

Gavin sighed, “It was over a girl, okay?” His cheeks heated up and he sat back, leaning against his wall as he pulled his hoodie up over his head again to hide away.

Something about the fact that the teenager was showing a keen, deep interest in fighting over females bothered and disturbed Nines. He didn’t really understand the reason why he felt this way, but he knew he did as he ground his teeth together in mild irritation and frustration.

He sat up straight as he studied the naked posters of porn stars mounted high on Gavin’s wall with a blank expression, “I think it would be a lot wiser for you to focus on your education instead of borrowing trouble,” he stated plainly as he shrugged off his mounting, conflicting emotions.

Gavin squinted at him in confusion, “You sound exactly like my mom…”

“I’m not your mother, Gavin.”

“No shit.”

This was getting to be difficult. Nines pointed up at his cheek again, “What are you going to say about this to your mother when she gets home?”

Gavin finally tore away from the wall and scrambled over to Nines. Desperation and fear flooded in his eyes and face as he reached out a hand and pressed it against the android’s knee.

“You have to help me hide it,” he pleaded and begged as he looked over at his door, “let’s just go into my mom’s room, grab her makeup kit, and cover this, okay? 

Nines gaped at him, “You mean hide the fact that you got in a fight?”

The boy nodded frantically, “Yeah! Everything, I want to just hide it and not talk about it anymore, Okay?!”

He didn’t understand what he was doing, but he nodded before his mind had even made the final decision for him. He felt the boy grabbing his wrist and leading him down the hall straight across towards his mother’s bedroom. In less than a few minutes, he had pulled out her makeup kit from her bedroom closet, and he stood before her mirror and dresser as he instructed Nines on what to do in order to cover up the bruise.

This was wrong, this was inappropriate, this was amoral. Still, he followed through with it, only stopping in his motions of brushing the foundation and makeup on the boy’s cheek when it wasn’t noticeable at all that he had a bruise there.

Why were they hiding this from Abby?! She deserved to know, as his mother…

“Thank you, Nines.”

Before Nines could utter another word, Gavin was skipping down the hall towards his own bedroom. He slammed the door behind him, and there were a few seconds of a pause before loud, heavy metal music blasted from the speakers of his laptop just like the first day that Nines had arrived in the house.

The android felt defeated, but he decided to make his way down into the kitchen and prepare supper, before Abby arrived home and found yet another reason to lash out at them both in anger and frustration.

Not that she had any reason not to…

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines watched the boy like a hawk for the next week. Everywhere Gavin went, Nines trailed behind. Some days, Gavin noticed it, and other days, it completely went over his head. Lately, he’d been buried in his phone and laptop, and Nines thought he was doing his homework or entertaining himself somehow.

One day, Abby had been standing next to him, handing over clean laundry to him that was fresh out of the dryer to fold and put away.

She was wearing orange track pants that hung loosely around her ankles, a few bracelets on her bare arms, and a pink tank top. Her hair was up in a loose ponytail that swayed about as she worked, whiles Nines stood next to her dressed in his same old CyberLife uniform. It was all beginning to feel and look redundant, but he kind of liked it. He’d fallen into a habit, and Nines knew he was indeed a creature of habit.

Gavin was in the kitchen adjacent to the laundry room, munching on some cookies while texting away on his phone.

Nines did his best to keep his eyes off the teen, but he’d been caught staring. Abby snickered softly as she sighed, “I think Gavin has a girlfriend, Nines!”

Her whispered confession shook him right from head-to-toe. He felt that same sick feeling of discomfort and irritation seep into his system. He tried shaking it off, and he offered her the phoniest of smiles ever.

“I guess that’s good?”

She gasped and shook her head, her hair in her make-shift, messy ponytail shaking lightly with the motions of her head rocking, “No!!! It’s not!”

Nines raised a curious eyebrow, “Why?”

She sighed as she folded a bedsheet with him while he held it out straightly for her.

“He shouldn’t be sexually active at his age, Nines,” she whispered carefully while keeping her eyes on the back of her son, so he didn’t listen in on their conversation.

Somehow, Nines already assumed he was sexually active, recollecting the memory of the condom wrapper that Gavin had flung out of his pocket the day Nines was first cleaning his room.

He didn’t know how to say this to his mother, but he figured being honest was the decent thing to do.

He cleared his throat, “I do recall seeing a contraceptive in his room,” he avoided her gaze, “I’m sorry…”

She didn’t seem offended as she folded the sheet and giggled, “Nines! That’s for when he…umm…” her face suddenly went red before she whispered carefully: “ _self-massages_ , if you catch my drift?”

Masturbation. She was referring to masturbation.

His LED light went red, and then yellow.

“Ah…I see…”

Abby hummed before her expression turned remorseful. She watched Nines stack the clean clothes neatly on top of each other before she bit her lower lip and threw a worried expression at him.

He stopped his work and stared her in silent patience.

She shifted, “You don’t think I’m a bad mother, do you?”

He tilted his head at her, “How do you mean?”

She grew more pink as she played with her earlobe, “I mean, since I don’t let Gavin experiment like other boys his age, do you think I’m a bad mother?”

Nines didn’t hesitate to answer, “No, not at all, Abby,” he began as he gave her a wide, genuine smile, “I’m sure one day your son will be absolutely grateful for all your efforts,” his eyes landed on Gavin’s back, “…especially when he meets someone he really wishes to share that experience with…”

She giggled gleefully and freely as she placed a hand on his shoulder, “Oh Nines!! You’re such an old fashioned romantic!!” she backed away, bending down to collect the laundry basket and she held it against her chest while she beamed at him with pride.

“These values are lost on teenagers today,” she stated as she placed her free hand on her hip and shook her head, “It’s so refreshing to hear an android believing in these things that I grew up with!”

Nines smiled at her, “Yes, I believe Gavin should really save himself for someone who really cares about him and wants to start a life and future with him.” He meant his words sincerely, and she seemed to appreciate it.

“I couldn’t agree more, Nines.”

He followed her up the steps and helped her sort out the fresh laundry for the rest of the afternoon.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abby, the hell are you up to -_-  
> And NINES  
> You jealous goob 😎🤪😊  
> Shorter chapter, but only because the next one will be...'intense', to say the least without spoiling it lol  
> But poor Gavin :( Bullied and such, *Sigh*  
> I was originally going to have Nines attack the bullies later after school or something, but I think that would be kind of oc, and it would be unreasonable befitting the situation. But Nines really is staring to care for Gavin like a father figure, but more, as well :/


	5. Youth Culture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked me which of my DBH fics I like the most. This question floored me, and I found myself thinking about it as hard as I would when I couldn't piece together math lessons (lel)
> 
> I honestly can't say I have a favorite, but IF I had to pick one, I think it would be 'An Unforeseen Union', followed by 'Playing House, Playing Family'. My reasons for that are because those two fics are vastly different. Gavin and Nines are worlds apart in those fics, and I LOVE it. I love playing aroud with different AUs, and 'Playing House, Playing Family' does not have Hank or Connor in it, while difficult (since I miss those bastards) is actually kind of refreshing to write, because it gives me WAY more focus on Gavin and Nines. 
> 
> Hope that answers that question, and I appreciate being asked that!! It was a toughie to answer, because I like most of the stuff I write, but this fic in particular is so far wonderful and fun to write (aside from the underage themes, I guess). I also hope it hasn't offended anyone given the underage stuff, but I've kinda seen more 'daring' fics out there, so it can't be all that bad, haha ;)

Nines was busy reading through a magazine on interior designing and decorating in the living room when he felt the sofa cushion next to him push down. He raised his eyes above the magazine and watched Gavin propping his hands up to rest beneath his chin as he leaned over and draped himself chest-down on the sofa while staring up at him.

Nines set the magazine aside with a tired sigh, “What do you want, now?”

Gavin’s innocent expression fell away immediately, and was replaced by a glare, “So rude, man,” he sat up as he shook Nines’ arm, “I wanna go to Darren’s party tonight.”

Nines frowned, “Who’s ‘Darren’?”

The adolescent slapped Nines gently on the chest, “Bro, he’s one of the coolest guys on the football team!”

Nines threw the magazine onto the coffee table a few feet away from the sofa, “As if I would have preordained knowledge of that…”

“You’re an android,” the teen snickered playfully, “ain’t you supposed to know everythin’?”

Nines threw him an angry look that he ignored as he rocked on the sofa, “Pleeeeaaaseeee!!”

The android waved him off, “Ask your mother.”

“She won’t let me.”

Nines rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, “I wonder why…”

Gavin immediately shot out: “There’s booze involved, and Jill will be there…”

The boy was blushing, and Nines guessed that this ‘Jill’ was the so-called ‘girlfriend’ Abby referred to earlier.

Nines crossed a long leg over the other, his hands folded in his lap as he patiently stared at Gavin until the teen began squirming uncomfortably in his seat.

“What?”

Nines exhaled in anguish, “You’re going there for a girl, only?”

Gavin held up a finger, “ _And_ booze…”

“And booze,” Nines nodded, “right…”

Gavin nodded happily, resembling a small, excited puppy with wide eyes.

Nines rolled his blue eyes and shook his head, “What a lovely combination; romance and alcohol…”

“Nines, please…”

“Did you at least complete your homework?”

Gavin was about to answer, but Nines held up a hand and glared at him, “Don’t lie to me.”

The teen’s jaw dropped, and he gasped, “Damn, you’re pretty good, Nines,” he smirked, “but I’ll do it after, I swear!”

Nines shook his head in disagreement, “Either you complete it _now_ , or you can forget about me giving you a ride to the party.” The alternative was raw, realistic, and it was set final. Gavin sputtered as he held out his hands, but Nines hushed him as he leaned over the coffee table and picked up the magazine to read once more.

The sputtering teen spoke to himself softly, “The party’s at eight, though…”

It was already 6 PM.

“Better get started on your homework now, then,” Nines advised calmly.

“But-”

“End of discussion, Gavin.”

Gavin slapped a hand on his knee, “Why does it have to be like this?!”

Nines skimmed through the page he was last reading, “Because that’s how it is.”

Gavin rose from the seat, “Screw you.”

“Welcome to the world of adulthood, Gavin.”

Footsteps thundered up the stairs before a door slammed.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

“I’m shocked your answers are almost all correct…” Nines set down the pen he held in his right hand after checking the teenager’s completed homework. It was strangely perfect, and Nines held his doubts about how it was completed as he looked over at Gavin retreating to his closet.

The teen smirked proudly at him, “I can do a lot of shit if I set my mind to it!”

“I bet…”

Gavin threw his regular clothes over towards the center of the room while he rummaged through his closet. Nines had agreed to take him to the party, offering to lie on his behalf and tell Abby that they were simply going out to the movies. He couldn’t believe he was lying to the poor woman, but he hated to admit that Gavin was lately beginning to grow on him more than he liked…

All the teen had to do was snap his fingers, and Nines was willing to do as he told him…it was very strange indeed.

Perhaps he pitied the boy? Wanted to keep him happy out of guilt?

Why was he feeling guilty?

Gavin hurried out of the closet with a yellow and grey checkered short-sleeve dress shirt on. He twirled slightly as he held out his arms before Nines. He was wearing blue jeans as he smiled with pride down at the android sitting on his bed.

“So? What do you think?”

Nines gave him an unamused stare, “Why didn’t I get the memo?”

Gavin tilted his head at him, “Huh?”

“Didn’t realize it was 80’s night.”

Gavin hissed at him, “Hey! Come on now, this shirt is decent!!”

Nines gave him a slow, steady nod, “Yeah…for crossing the road when it gets dark…”

Their eyes met and Gavin began unbuttoning the shirt immediately as he walked back into the closet, “You’re so cruel.”

Nines hummed, “Perhaps,” he looked at his hands, “but I’m not the one trying to impress a girl…”

Gavin flipped him off, “Maybe you should try it!”

Nines glared at him, but remained silent.

“After all, a little sex may help you get that stick out of your ass after all…”

The android’s eyes fell on his form just then, and he studied Gavin carefully, as if he’d seen him for the first time ever.

“I wonder what the cure for what ails you is, then…” he’d meant to say that in his head, but it was whispered out between them.

Gavin heard him, but offered nothing in the way of talking back. Nines was surprised he didn’t flip him off again. He watched as the teen opened the closet door for him and pointed at a high shelf above his head.

“Grab the bag on the right,” he instructed as he selected a new shirt already, yanking it down over his head before the android’s eyes could linger for far too long on his exposed upper body.

Nines felt curious, “Why?”

“My dad’s spare clothes are there…”

Nines swallowed, feeling the room growing suddenly so warm…

“Why do you keep your father’s-”

Gavin flung his hands down to his sides in frustration as he kicked at a wall, “Just fuckin’ do it!!”

Nines stood and pulled the clothing down out from the top shelf as the teen instructed. He knew Gavin was watching him as he stood back and moved over to his mirror on his dresser. He studied his own clothing and form for a moment before he looked at Nines. The android simply held the bag in one hand as he frowned darkly at the teenager.

“Now what?”

“Put it on, duuh!” Gavin hissed it out with attitude and venom in his voice as he applied deodorant on his body.

Nines assumed he was probably going to be ‘attending’ this party in some way, but he wanted to double check, so he asked.

“Am I supposed to join you in your festivities?”

Gavin gave him a weary look, “Well,” he brushed his jeans off, even though they were brand new, “that kinda fits into our whole plan of you taking me to the movies, dipshit…”

Nines frowned at him and crossed his arms over his chest as he dropped the bag to the floor, “I highly doubt I am invited to this party…”

Gavin reached for the bag, pulling out the clothes quickly, “So what?” he held out a black leather jacket that was the perfect fit for Nines, “I’ll look even more cool and hot to Jill if I have my own private android assistin’ me…”

He straightened out the rest of the clothes which consisted of a black belt, black dress shirt with white buttons, and tight, black jeans.

Nines sighed, feeling he’d lost the game already, “What else can I say?”

Gavin threw the clothes at him while pointing towards the closet door, “Hurry! It’s almost after seven!!”

He didn’t argue, but he certainly wasn’t pleased…

Not in the least.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

 

 

“Woah, woah, woah! Slow down!!” Gavin tapped the window of the passenger seat as he motioned over at a house that was one of the most brightly lit ones on the largest street Nines had seen yet.

The entire drive had taken almost forty-minutes, and the neighborhood was a lot cleaner, larger, and more ‘fancy’ than the one Gavin and his mother lived in.

Nines stared at the house the party was obviously taking place in. More than ten cars were parked around the driveway, hanging inside the open garage, and lining up the streets up and down across the large mansion.

Lights were on both outside and inside, and it made the entire mansion appear to be like a dance-club. Music boomed from the inside, and Nines could hear and feel it even as they sat in the car. Swaying bodies and their shadows emanated and were displayed from the windows. Large, fancy palm trees stood on either side of the house, looming down as the yards expanded before them, the grass thick and dark green in the bright lights.

“Come on!!”

Gavin’s impatience was getting to him, but Nines parked the car beside a dark green van as he hardly had time to turn off the engine before the teenager leapt out of the car.

“Gavin, wait!!” Nines called after him, hurrying to get out of the car, and he nearly forgot to lock it after himself.

Gavin was racing towards the large house, and Nines looked up to see a large group of teenagers at least two-to-three years older than Gavin hanging out by the front porch. They were all males, and they were smoking more than cigarettes as they greeted Gavin by grabbing his hand, linking their fingers and palms together, while they pulled him towards their chests and slapped him on the back.

Nines glared at them, his LED light red and shining brightly as he placed his hands in the pockets of the tight, black jeans. The leather jacket squeaked whenever he moved, as it was incredibly tight on his lithe, thin-but-well-built figure. He wondered what kind of physical shape Gavin’s father was in if he’d once worn these clothes, too…

One of the older teens pointed at him as he stood on the first step of the porch. He had black hair that was gelled up in spikes, and he had acne and scars all over his face. He immediately disgusted Nines, but he stood his ground as he met the young man’s hateful glares.

“Who’s this, Reed?” the teenager asked rudely, and all the others gathered around Gavin turned and stared up at Nines.

One boy with a wild, curly auburn afro snorted, “Yooo…duuuude,” he was clearly smoking marijuana, and Nines turned his nose away from it.

“…when did you get an android, Reed?”

Gavin sighed as he scraped his shoes against the porch, “He’s my mom’s actually…”

The afro-haired boy laughed loudly, “Ewww,” his face scrunched up, “so is she using him like a sex slave or something?”

While the other boys laughed and cried out insults, Gavin gasped before reaching out and punching the curly haired boy hard in the chest.

“Dude, don’t even talk about my mom like that,” he warned as he pointed a finger into the boy’s chin.

The curly haired teenager held up both hands in a surrender as he bowed and snickered through his nose, “Alright man, relax yourself,” he started backing away towards the front door.

Gavin lowered his hand and finger as he straightened himself out while the rest of his ‘friends’ took a closer look at Nines. They were all mostly shorter than he was, but they crowded around him, circling him while whispering and laughing as they passed around a lit joint.

Nines fumed, especially when he heard the curly-haired-red-headed boy saying to Gavin softly: “Look, it’s none of my business what your mom does with the android, but I thought you hated the fuckers?”

Gavin glared at him while shoving him roughly to the side, “Get outta my way, Ronald McDonald,” he ignored the other boys laughing and hooting as he soon disappeared inside the house.

Before he was completely lost, Gavin turned and glared at Nines, “Follow me!”

The moment Nines obeyed, the rest of Gavin’s friends snickered and whispered as they observed the android following every command Gavin gave him. Needless to say, it was embarrassing for them both.

As soon as they entered the large mansion, Nines could tell that Gavin wanted to be separated from him immediately. The boy began to seek out his friends, and they all naturally drew towards him as they began talking and laughing in loud voices. Music from large speakers mounted practically on every wall in the mansion shook the walls, floors, and ceilings.

Outside in the backyard, many more teenagers were swimming and taking a dip in an outdoor jacuzzi that was bubbling as steam rose up from its clear surface.

Nines found it difficult to drown the music out of his audio receptors, though he really tried hard while he kept his eyes trained on Gavin. This was also a difficult task; a sea of young bodies soon surrounded Gavin and tugged from out of sight.

Nines dearly hoped that they weren’t doing drugs, but that was all left to his imagination when he heard loud, feminine giggling over to his left side. He turned and glared down at four teenage girls as they looked at his LED light while whispering back and forth in each other’s ears.

Two of them were brunettes who easily looked to be twins, while another one was extremely thin, tall, with ghostly white skin and had dyed black hair that was shortly cut. The last girl was a blonde, and she was eyeing Nines as if she wanted to gobble him up…

They were all wearing revealing clothing that mainly showed off their long, smooth legs, their bootie shorts and jean shirts barely grazing the top part of their thighs as they stood about staring at Nines.

The music got impossibly louder, and from the large railing located on the second floor of the mansion, Nines saw a round, chubby boy standing as he balanced himself on the flat surface of the railing while he shook and swayed.

The big teenager was obviously inebriated beyond his mind. He took off his football jersey and flung it around above his head in wide circles. A small crowd gathered down below, and they cheered up at him while pumping their fists high and proudly into the air while he continued to swing his jersey around in the air like it was a flag fluttering in the wind.

His body jiggled and shook with every motion he made, and as Nines turned away from the sight of it, he screamed down at the crowd below him.

“THE PLUNGE!!! THE PLUUUNNNGEEE!!! I’M GONNA TAKE THE PLUNGEEEEE!!!!”

The crowd cheered and chanted along with him, and soon, he leapt down into their outstretched hands.

Nines was shocked that a few, well-built football and sports players caught him, and they all cheered for joy as they carried him into the kitchen.

Gavin was heading there as well, and Nines was barely able to keep his eyes on the back of his dark brown hair as he struggled to push his way through the dancing and swaying bodies.

Why was this fun?! _How_ was it fun?!?!

He didn’t comprehend it, but he was stopped a few times by the same four girls before he made his way into the kitchen in one piece. They were flirtatious in their behavior towards him, and one of them said he looked ‘hot as fuck’ in the leather jacket. He ignored them all as he found Gavin standing behind a large kitchen island. The marble counters held a large, round fountain-like bowl filled with alcohol.

Nines could smell the booze all the way from the other side of the kitchen, and while the girls followed him and tried grabbing his ass, he watched in horror as Gavin’s friends held up a red plastic cup for him. They filled it to the rim with alcohol, and Gavin didn’t spare a moment.

He tipped his head back as he downed the beverage in one gulp.

“CHUG!! CHUG!! CHUG!!!”

His friends cheered and egged him on, and Gavin was given refill after refill…

Oh no…

Abby was never going to trust him ever again if she knew what they were doing!!

It got a lot worse; the chubby boy that had fallen down from the second-floor staircase waddled over to Gavin, holding a strange object in his hands…it appeared to be made of glass, maybe? It was almost shaped like a cylinder, with a pipe jutting out at the top. It was a mouth piece?

He had no idea, but he sensed something horrible was about to happen.

“BRO! I BROUGHT THE BONG!!!” The chubby hands pushed the object into Gavin’s hands, and his eyes glazed over as he smirked happily while the rest of the boys around cheered.

Before Nines had time to intervene and pull Gavin away from the alcohol and drugs, the same four girls dashed in front of him and blocked his way. 

The tall, blonde girl with light freckles and baby blue eyes gazed at him with lust in her eyes, as she looked down between his legs momentarily, “And where do you think _you_ are going, sexy?”

The last thing Nines was able to see when he stretched his neck up in Gavin’s direction was that Gavin had been approached by a girl with light brown hair that was fashioned in layers and bangs. She had light blonde highlights in it as well, and she was dressed very provocatively…

Most of her light-colored skin was revealed beneath a low cut, sleeveless, backless red dress. From the dopey grin Gavin tossed down her way, Nines was absolutely certain this was Jill…

Oh hell…

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo 

Nines felt his hands forcefully being wrapped around the slim waist of the blonde girl currently sitting in his lap. They were seated on a small love seat, while the rest of her friends sat in small chairs surrounding the sofa.   

He had no idea how they ended up here; one minute he was chasing after Gavin feverishly, and the next, his hands were roughly grabbed by the surprisingly aggressive blonde teenage girl as she sat them both down on the sofa. His mind had been worried and focused on Gavin while he was partying, losing himself to peer pressure, and other horrible things. More teenagers had swarmed the house, and their footsteps shook the house and furniture while they drank and partied into the night.

The girl in his lap was beyond drunk, and she was mumbling out garbled nonsense as she rubbed her cheek against his leather jacket. Her friends thought it was the most adorable sight in the world, and they fawned over them both while giggling and snickering. They all had the same red, plastic cups filled with alcohol in their hands, eagerly drinking it while other teens grew more belligerent and rowdier; some of them even breaking bottles and smashing things against the walls and floors of the mansion.

Nines grumbled to himself while he kept his eyes glued on Gavin sitting across the room next to the girl called ‘Jill’. They were also seated on a love seat, and their foreheads were pressed tightly and closely together. Nines could tell they were whispering something, but it was impossible to heighten the senses and perception of his audio receptors...not with the way the music was blaring on. At this point, Nines was positive the entire street was able to hear the party going on inside of the mansion they were all currently holed up in.

When he began trying to read their lips so he could gain some insight into their conversation, the blonde girl in his lap shifted and began sobbing hysterically. The alcohol was really getting to her mood, and it made her increasingly unstable as she struggled to grab Nines’ cheeks in her hands and pull his head down against her chest. She sobbed uncontrollably as she rambled on about marriage, being forever childless, and a whole bunch of other strange things that weren’t connected to each other and only made Nines’ audio receptors feel like fizzing out.

Her breasts practically smothered him as she held him in a choke-hold, almost, and Nines reared back in anger as he shoved her hands off his body and rolled her to the side of the couch. Quickly, he stood up and walked across the living room over towards where Gavin and Jill were seated.

As far as he was concerned, it was time to leave and end the party for the night. 

The two teenagers before him were far too close together, and they looked way too ‘intimate for his liking. His eyes twitched, and Nines impatiently tapped on Gavin’s shoulder, “We’re leaving, _now_.”

Apparently, the teenager hadn’t heard him the first time. He leaned over the female’s body and whispered something in her ear. His breath must have tickled her ear, for she swooned and giggled while holding onto his arms tightly.

It all angered Nines to no end. He swooped down immediately, digging his fingers into the back of Gavin’s dress shirt. He yanked the boy right off the seat of the sofa and onto his feet. In his anger, Nines failed to notice Gavin swaying slightly as his knees began caving in.

The girl gaped up at them while frowning at Nines, “What the hell was that for??”

“Goodnight, Ma’am.” He only tossed her a scathingly dark and heated glare of his own while he tried turning Gavin around towards the exit. As soon as they turned around, Nines was faced with the same boys Gavin had been talking to outside on the porch when they first arrived at the mansion.

One of the boys was only a few inches shorter than Nines, and if the android had to wager a guess, he assumed that this was the infamous ‘Darren’. He had half his head shaved, both ears were pierced, and had an anarchy symbol tattooed on one of his forearms. His eyes were deep brown, and he looked vicious.

The young boy glared at Nines while his eyes then fell to Gavin’s swaying form, “Why don’t you just back off and let Gavin do what he wants?” While the boy was tall and muscular, his voice didn’t match his body or physique at all.

Nines didn’t feel intimidated or threatened by the young man’s slightly high-pitched voice. It only fed to his irritation, and he held Gavin close to his side as if protecting and shielding him away from these young teens. While he was grateful that no one had given him any trouble or grief all evening, he didn’t need any trouble now when they wanted to leave, especially.

He held on tighter to Gavin, not noticing that the boy’s eyes were slowly opening wide, “In case you have all failed to notice,” he began in a small form of lecture, “tomorrow _is still_ a school day!”

Darren merely shrugged and rolled his eyes, “So? Who gives a shit?”

Nines met his eyes in a heated glare, “I do.”

The boy puffed his chest out and flexed, “Well good for you, Bot-Slave,” he held out a hand and reached for Gavin, “you can fuck off home if you want, but Gavin’s got some more partying to do…”

Nines took a step back, putting himself between the boy reaching for Gavin and Gavin’s shaking body.

“I don’t think so,” his eyes turned to dangerous slits as his LED light flashed red in a warning.

Behind him, the four young girls stood as the blonde sobbed even louder than before. She ran forward and draped her arms over Nines’ shoulders while crying up at Darren in wild desperation.

“LEAVE MY BOYF-FRIEND A-ALONE!!” Her whimpering and hiccupping was driving Nines insane, but he had bigger problems. He only noticed how annoying she really was when she tightened her grip around his neck in a feeble attempt to drag him closer to her.

Nines groaned, “Get off me!”

Darren smirked, and his sharp teeth poked out from beneath his lips, “See?” he motioned at the girls behind Nines, “everyone can have some fun tonight.”

She yanked Nines closer to her chest, and Gavin’s eyes widened impossibly, now.

“I’m gonna be sick…”

Nines shoved the amorous girl off his back, “So will I if we don’t leave here at once!”

Gavin placed a hand over his stomach, “Nooo! I’m gonna be sick!!”

Nines stared down at him, and in an instant, Gavin fell to his knees and vomited profusely all over the carpeted floor. The girls behind Nines stepped out of the way, shrieking and crying out in horror and disgust while Jill ran forward and rubbed Gavin’s back as he heaved and retched all over the floor again and again.

Darren immediately yanked out his phone, and his buddies followed in his lead as they all recorded videos of Gavin vomiting his guts out.

“Ooooooh!!!!!!! Damn booooy!!!” they hooted and laughed while they high-fived each other and clapped, “seems to me like Reed can’t hold his booze worth of shit!!”

Nines felt himself explode right there. He saw nothing but red, especially when he knew for a fact that these young teens found joy and humor in Gavin’s suffering.

No.

He wouldn’t stand for it.

Before he knew what had happened, he’d slammed a fist into Darren’s jaw. His phone flew backwards through the air, smashing against a wall as the boy fell a few feet backwards.

His murderous, battle-field instincts kicked in, and Nines began programming his actions while reading what the rest of the vitriolic, volatile teens were going to do. Testosterone was all over the place and in the air, and roars and growls soon broke through to his ears.

Many people around them screamed and backed away, and while Darren’s friends came to his aid, Nines easily threw them off his shoulders and back as he swung his fists and punched and kicked the teens away. They were all knocked out within seconds and were thrown across the room as if they weighed nothing. Nines spun and flung their bodies through the air with superhuman speed and reflexes, and they rested on the floor next to each other in unconscious heaps.

Lights flashed and snapped as people crowded around, taking photos and snickering while pointing at them.

“I’m _too_ fucking wasted for this shit…” someone whispered in the back of the room, but Nines ignored it all as he bent down and yanked Gavin back onto his feet when he was through with his vomiting rounds.

“It stinks like shit in here!”

“It wasn’t worth coming here just to get stoned and see this shit…”

Voices flew up around him, but Nines kept his eyes on Gavin.

Gavin groaned, and as Nines worried he was going to be sick yet again, a thin boy with black-rimmed glasses got in his face with his iPhone out and recording already. He giggled to himself as he grinned a buck-toothed grin widely, “This is Yearbook Gold right here!”

With a roar, Nines slapped the iPhone out of his hands. It clattered loudly to the floor, and the boy gasped in shock, “Heyy!!!”

Before he could attack Nines, the android stood tall, deeply growling at him in a warning to stay away. Everyone heeded the warning, and they avoided staring at Gavin while he coughed and swayed in pain.

They all backed away as Jill wiped Gavin’s mouth with a napkin, and Nines immediately made his way for the washroom on the main floor of the mansion.

He was going to clean Gavin off, and they were going to head home.

That was it.

No one stopped him as his LED light flared red all the way until they were both inside the bathroom.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

The bathroom’s tub was practically as large as an indoor swimming pool. It loomed behind them, and the width of the outer perimeter of it was wide enough for Nines and Gavin both to sit on. Nines draped his long legs to the side as he turned behind him to the sink and turned on the water.

He soaked a purple hand-cloth and began wiping Gavin’s lips with it. The kid reeked of alcohol, sweat, and vomit, but Nines didn’t mind it as he then began wiping Gavin’s heated forehead and cheeks.

He was thorough with his cleaning, while the party raged on outside on the other side of the door. Nines drowned out the rest of the world while his eyes roamed through Gavin’s hair and facial features.

The boy was going to grow up to be a handsome man, he sensed.

Did he look more like his father?

Nines began to wonder about the man he was unable to put a face to, but he pushed the thought away when Gavin groaned. He was slowly coming to, and Nines turned to the sink as he cupped his palm beneath it to gather enough cold water into it.

He carefully brought his hand back over to Gavin’s lips. “Drink,” he instructed softly, watching as Gavin’s eyelids flew open halfway. His eyeballs rolled back into his head, and Nines scanned him for a fever.

He was fine.

He got Gavin to sip the water slowly and gently, waiting as patiently as he could while studying the teen’s skin.

Gavin was blessed not to have acne as horrible as other boys his age, which Nines admired. He ran the pad of his thumb along Gavin’s cheeks, feeling only a light bit of stubble already about to grow in under his skin…

He sighed once Gavin had finished the water.

“S…thank you…”

Nines smiled immediately when he heard Gavin’s warm, soft words. No ‘thanking’ was necessary, but he liked that the teen had stated it anyway.

They still had some work to do in the bathroom; the boy still reeked of alcohol.

“Just lean on me,” Nines instructed as he draped the adolescent’s left arm around his shoulder and got him up on his feet. He turned them so they were facing the bathroom sink, and Nines turned on the water as he searched the cabinets and drawers for toothpaste or mouthwash…

He rubbed Gavin’s back gently in smooth circles after he’d located Listerine Mouthwash, and he gently held the teen’s neck in a hand as he opened the bottle and poured a little bit of the minty-flavored liquid inside the cap.

“Easy, Gavin,” Nines gently spoke out as he leaned the boy against the vanity set, “just swish this around in your mouth for a moment.”

The intoxicated boy did the deed sloppily, most of the mouthwash spilling out of the corners of his lips as Nines continued rubbing his lower back. He hoped this was helping the boy when he spat out the liquid and Nines washed it down the sink with more running water.

Gavin smacked his lips as he turned and huffed out a minty breath in Nines’ face while giggling.

At least his breath had indeed improved…

Nines sat them both back down on the edge of the tub, running a hand through Gavin’s hair while he waited patiently for the teenager to ‘sober up’ as best as he could. He was willing to wait it out, no matter how long it took. He would be here for Gavin.

Gavin’s eyes opened, and he rubbed them with his hands as he sat up and groaned. He looked around the large bathroom, the world slowly coming to him as he realized what was going on.

He held his head in his hands; the music was far too loud.

“Nines…”

The android leaned closer to him, “I’m here.”

Gavin sought out his hands as he held them in his own, “What happened?”

Nines peered down at their clasped hands, and he smiled at Gavin, “You got sick, Gavin.”

“I swear, that’s not all that happened…” Gavin hunched over, “it feels like my stomach’s on fire…”

“That would be the after-effect of consuming far too much alcohol,” Nines glared at him, suddenly remembering how they’d landed themselves in this mess.

Gavin gaped at him as his nostrils flared, “My head…”

“Shhh…”

Gavin stared up at Nines slowly, “You took care of me?”

Nines nodded, “Of course,” his honesty made the teen lean in close to him.

“Why?”

Nines only smiled happily, “Because it’s my purpose here, Gavin.”

A gasp was emitted, “You’d take care of me like that?”

Nines paused, wondering why the boy was in doubt, but then he nodded with confidence as he offered Gavin a sincere look, “I always will, Gavin.”

Suddenly, the same dopey grin that had been plastered on Gavin’s face when he looked at Jill had appeared again…only this time, he’d aimed it for Nines directly.

Nines quirked an eyebrow, but before he could say anything else, two warm hands wrapped around the back of his neck. He was pulled quickly forward, and warm lips planted themselves on his own…

His eyes widened like saucers, and he gasped in shock.

Gavin pressed their chests together, and he sighed happily as he kissed Nines soundly and deeply.

What.

Was.

This?!?

Nines wanted to fight back, shove the boy away, get him to stop, snap him out of it, but Gavin then slid himself directly and firmly onto Nines’ lap. He forcefully pushed the android’s legs apart, settling himself comfortably in Nines’ lap. Their lips fit perfectly together, and Gavin was taking full control as he guided his lips over Nines’ and flicked his tongue against the lower one.

He hummed deeply as his hands fisted clumps of Nines’ hair and gently tugged on the roots as he deepened the kiss.

Nines felt Gavin’s warm, wet tongue slipping and sliding in his mouth before it sought his out. He knew the teenager was still drunk; he absolutely had to be with the way he was shaking and moaning softly as he struggled to balance his weight on the android’s legs while his tongue sloppily and messily rolled around Nines’ tongue.

He never should have even allowed this to happen for a second, but it felt…so fucking good…

Nines fell a slave to the pleasure mounting in his system, and before he knew it, he closed his eyes and wrapped his hands tightly around Gavin’s back. Their hips and chests slammed against each other, and Gavin groaned loudly as he broke the kiss momentarily. Nines didn’t like that, and he gripped the back of the teen’s neck firmly in his hand as he slammed their mouths together again.

He kissed Gavin like a starving monster; his tongue and teeth clashed against the boy’s, but Gavin didn’t mind. He kissed back with equal passion and lust while he bit down on the tip of Nines’s tongue. This turned on something feral and wild in Nines, and he yanked the boy’s hair roughly as he bit his lower lip and tugged it with his teeth.

Gavin sighed as he suddenly went limp against Nines. The android took it as him succumbing to pleasure, and he began kissing his way down Gavin’s neck. His lips practically dug into the teen’s soft skin, and Nines was trying to tug down the collar of the shirt Gavin was wearing so he could feast his lips and tongue on more of his skin.

It was then that he felt Gavin collapsing on top of him.

He stopped their intense, passionate kissing, and he gently pushed himself back as he stared at Gavin.

“Gavin?”

The teenager had passed out.

He was wearing a silly grin on his face, and his cheeks were bright pink. His lips were swollen and wet, and the sight of them alone practically made Nines weep with desperation and want.

Didn’t this boy realize how beautiful he was?!

The things he was doing to Nines couldn’t be considered normal, and the longer the android gaped at the boy, the more he wanted to touch him…

It wasn’t right, though…

Gavin was out cold, and he was unconscious. Not to mention the fact that he’d started this whole thing only because he was drunk. That fact hurt Nines, and he felt it was better to forget this whole thing. It was stupid, it was a crime, and it was wrong.

There was no way it would ever happen again, and the sooner he left it as a memory, the better.

It wasn’t like Gavin was going to remember it when he woke up, anyway, so why should he hang onto it and keep obsessing over it like he wanted it to happen many more times?

Abandoning the rest of his conflicting thoughts, he carefully and gently picked the boy up, flinging him over his arms as he carried him bridal style out the bathroom and as far away from the mansion as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day from Nines and Gavin ;) A sexy chappie for everyone!! Enjoy your special day :D (not that any other day isn't special lol)


	6. The Reluctant Husband

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize ahead of time to anyone who ships Abby with Nines. But in the same breath, I have to ask, why? lol  
> Just kidding.

 

He had no idea how they managed to sneak back inside the house through the garage without waking Abby up. After spending enough time around the woman, Nines knew that she usually went to bed before 10 PM. Yet here they were, stumbling in short after 1 AM.

Abby would definitely skin them both alive if she caught them.

Nines was extra cautious and careful as he gently carried Gavin all the way up the stairs. The house was dark except for small hallway lights that had been dimmed, and he was thankful for it as he made his way over to stop at Gavin’s half-shut bedroom door.

Praying it wouldn’t squeak open, Nines nudged it open with a shoulder and walked inside it. Right away, he stepped on something that made a ‘squish!’ noise. He looked down to see a Captain America plushie toy.

Nines rolled his eyes as he kicked the little toy out of the way and made his way over to Gavin’s bed quietly.

Nines closed Gavin’s bedroom door when he finished putting the boy to bed. He removed his shoes, and his shirt, but left his jeans on. He didn’t want to go any lower than that, and he pulled the heavy sheets up to cover his chest before his eyes began wandering.

All night long, during their drive back home, Nines was unable to think of anything else except their kiss.

Feeling compelled to at least touch Gavin again, Nines gently lowered himself to the edge of the bed while staring down at the sleeping teenager. He looked even more wonderful and handsome while he slept, Nines thought.

His brows and forehead were softened, relaxed, and he looked peaceful. He didn’t look younger, but he looked somehow… ‘mature’….

Nines couldn’t put his finger on what the root cause of the look was, but he soon found himself playing with Gavin’s hair. He was curling it in between his thumb and index finger, closing his eyes as he sensed how soft and silky it felt…

He hummed softly when he examined the scar on Gavin’s nose.

He wished he could kiss it…

All it would take was a simple gesture that involved leaning over the boy and pressing his lips gently over it…

There was something seriously wrong with him, and he wanted to quickly hide away in a separate room in the house so he could run a diagnostic test for errors in his programming. It was a little unusual and unbecoming for him to be so ‘brand new’ and already have some error, but the sooner he located it and learned about it, the easier it would be for him to remove it and deal with it. There was no way he was going to be seen as ‘broken’ or ‘obsolete’ again before he was tossed down to a new ‘owner’….

Nines really liked living with the Reed family, and he didn’t want to relinquish his role as ‘household assistant’ android anytime soon.

It was time to discover what had gone wrong in his system.

He’d decided that would be the best course of action to take, but the moment he closed Gavin’s bedroom door and turned around, he was face-to-face with Abby Reed.

Nines didn’t want to show or admit that she’d frightened him, but she had. It appeared as if she’d popped out of thin air, practically. He wondered if she was angry with him and had finally noticed that not only had they both lied about going to the ‘movies’, but that her son was now out cold and drunk in his room…

While hoping none of the lies had been dug up, Nines noticed that Abby hadn’t been crying in the night like she usually was before he joined her reluctantly in her room to help her calm down and get to sleep. In fact, she looked to be very excited, happy, and pleased to see him, especially.

She was wearing a cream-colored nightie that seemed a little tight, and it revealed her hourglass figure as she looked at Nines slowly. She took in every inch of him in his new outfit and smiled while blushing deeply.

“Is Gavin asleep?”

He didn’t like the way she was looking at him, and he had to wonder if she too was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A brief bio-scan told him that wasn’t the case for her…

He peeked back at Gavin’s closed door, “Yes, I was just checking on him…”

While it wasn’t entirely a lie, it also wasn’t the complete truth. But there was hardly any way possible for him to flat out admit that he really was taken by her son, and enjoyed watching him, touching him, kissing him…

Abby’s eyes glazed over with a strange emotion, and Nines saw the pupils dilate a little. The green depths were swallowing him in, practically, and he took a step back as she sighed happily and seemed like she was off in a dreamy world of her own.

“You’re _so_ good with Gavin, lately…” she sighed again and her eyelashes fluttered at him rapidly, “you’re patient, calm, gentle, intelligent…”

While he appreciated the compliments, he felt they were unnecessary and over-the-top when she moved closer to him.

“I can finally breathe around here!” she threw her head back and massaged her neck a few times, “it finally feels like things are right, for once…”

Nines watched her in silence until she stopped massaging herself. Her hands slid down to her chest, resting on the swell of her breasts before she giggled softly.

“You’re twice the man his father ever could dream to be…”

Nines held up a hand, “I’m sure that’s not entirely true, Abby-”

“It is!!” she hissed at him with wide eyes as she placed her hands over her stomach, “you know _exactly_ what to do without me having to repeat myself!!”

The android swallowed as he pressed himself against Gavin’s door when she took a few more steps towards him.

Her eyes gleamed in the lights as she stood on her toes to take a closer look at him, “You’re a breath of fresh air, Nines…”

He allowed her to sigh and fade away into her dream-world again. He simply was frozen to the spot as he stared at her. She paced the hall a little, then turned in a slow circle, her hips swaying as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and eyed him sensually.

Turning back around, she smiled at him and held out a hand for him to take, “Nines? Can you please help me sleep again, tonight?”

He practically cried out in anger and anguish, but he took her hand in his own gently. The sooner he got this over with, the better it would be. True, she was acting rather odd, but he had other pressing matters that demanded his attention, for the moment.

“Of course, Abby.” He led her to her bedroom quickly, not noticing how she was staring at him with hungry eyes.

Those hungry eyes soon happily gazed at him while he slid out of his shoes and hung his arms to the side, throwing off his leather jacket and neatly folding it on the seat of a small pink chair by the wall next to the door.

He failed to see Abby locking the door, and she pressed her back against it while she began taking off her nightgown…

Nines had been busy straightening out the leather jacket, not wanting it to wrinkle, when the lights in the room clicked off suddenly. Before he could activate his night vision, thinking that the power had gone out or something, he felt two hands shoving him down roughly onto the bed.

He sputtered as he fell face-first into the sheets and mattress, but the hands turned him around quickly onto his back.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he looked up at the ceiling before he saw Abby Reed smiling down seductively at him while she was pulling down on her lacy white bra straps…

Oh god no…

He knew she needed help sleeping, but _this_?!? This was beyond what he was capable of doing! There was no way that he was going to help her in this regard!

While she had a great body, Nines couldn’t do this. She was in good, healthy shape; her stomach flat, thighs lean, arms toned and firm, and breasts not too large or too small. She should have made any man’s head turn twice when she walked past them in the streets, but she was doing nothing for Nines.

It wasn’t that he was opposed to serving humans sexually, as he’d heard of the other androids in the CyberLife shop whispering that they almost all had to offer that as a service. Nines wasn’t against offering that to his owners, but this woman absolutely didn’t know how he was feeling about another Reed family member just down the hall…

Nines couldn’t help it; he just saw Gavin behind closed eyelids. No matter how much and how hard he fought against his desires and dreams, he knew Gavin was always going to be at the forefront of them, and there was little else he could do. He wasn’t the type to pleasure multiple partners, as sex and pleasure had been the last thing on the minds of his creators.

There was a difference between what type of an android he was, and what type of an android a Traci at the Eden Club was…they couldn’t be compared with each other at all. Nines wanted to at least see and feel Gavin close to himself one more time before he decided what he really wanted to pursue.

He gaped up at her with a slack jaw and his left eye began squinting slightly while she trailed his skin with her fingernails. She had no doubt meant for it to be enjoyable and sensual, but it did the opposite. He squinted as he cringed and dug his body backwards into the mattress, seemingly trying to escape from her.

He began gently gripping her arms when he had enough of her ‘stroking’, and he tried pushing her off his body. But she was determined, and she pressed herself firmly over him while straddling his lap with her thighs. She was a lot stronger than she looked, and Nines winced when she dug her long fingernails into his chest and began pulling at the dark dress shirt he was wearing.

She looked at him hungrily while she licked her lower lip, “Did you really expect for me to let you sleep alone like this?” she asked in a husky tone of voice he’d never heard her use before as she flipped her long, dark brown hair over her shoulder.

He shook when she pressed her lower body down over his, “Like what?” His question was whispered in a soft tone of voice that he’d never used, and he frowned at himself for fearing this woman.

She giggled as she gently began unbuttoning the first few buttons of his dress shirt, “Wearing Allen’s leather jacket and clothes of course, silly!”

Dear Lord…

She gasped in surprise while her fingers clawed at him wildly, now, “You look _so_ good in his clothing…”

He understood that they held some fond memories for her, but the last thing on his mind had been wearing them strictly for the purposes of seducing her. Nines pried her fingers away from the rest of his buttons while he stared down at his already exposed chest. If he wanted, he could easily overpower her, but he didn’t want to hurt Abby when she was desperately flinging herself even more so on top of him once she caught sight of his exposed, firm flesh.

Abby sighed and moaned in appreciation and delight when her eyes took him the sight of his smooth, hairless chest. “You’re built perfectly in all the right areas,” she placed her right cheek against it before turning and pressing her lips directly in the center of his chest. His skin somehow burned when she made contact with it. Nines didn’t understand or know how this was possible, but for the first time in his creation, he felt pained and disgusted.

He saw her shifting above him, and when she raised her hips, he only then noticed she was wearing a matching white, lacy thong that barely hid anything from his eyes…

There was just no way he could do this; especially considering how he placed his lips on her son’s only an hour ago, and also slid his tongue deeply inside of the boy’s warm, wet mouth…

“Please touch me, Nines…” Her whispered words made him panic, and his mind flew into a nervous mode overdrive when one of her hands placed one of his own over one of her breasts…

This was horrible!

As she reared back to pull down her bra quickly, Nines’ hands flew up and slammed down over her wrists. He effectively stopped her from taking off her bra, and she clearly didn’t appreciate it as she frowned down at him in confusion.

“Nines?” Her chin quivered and her eyes grew slightly wide, “I thought you wanted this as much as I did?”

No, he really didn’t.

He shook his head quickly, “Abby no!” He watched her lean back a little bit, and the weight of her body was slowly being removed off his own.

He held out a hand when he saw her clasp one over her mouth before a soft cry and whimper flew out of her.

Hushing her softly, he offered her a patient, understanding smile, “You don’t want this, Abby,” he tilted his head at her while raising a hand up to gently brush some hair away from her forehead where it was curtaining down over her eyes.

He couldn’t see her.

She sniffled, “Maybe I d-do!”

Nines sensed the uncertainty in her voice, and he felt really horrible for her.

“You don’t,” he stated calmly, wanting her to understand the cold fact of the matter as she leaned back on her heels and shivered.

He took the opportunity to sit up slightly, “Abby, the last thing I want to do is take advantage of you, or this situation.”

She closed her eyes and a few tears spilled from the corners of her eyelids as she shook her head. Nines knew she was embarrassed and ashamed of herself, but he didn’t want her to feel too bad. He sat up on the bed, pulling some sheets with him and wrapped them delicately around her shoulders and back while he gently pushed her back into her regular spot on the bed.

She was sobbing softly, then. Soon, her sobs turned into hiccups and broken wails while he held onto her and pulled her against his chest, hoping to make her feel a little better, if possible.

“I can do this for you,” he whispered to her as he gently pushed her hair aside from her face and offered her a tissue to clean and wipe her eyes with, “but this is the only thing that can offer you.”

She blew her nose and nodded, her body mannerisms indicating that she understood him as she put her bra back on and quickly moved around the room to pick up her nightgown. Once it was on, she settled on the bed beside him and buried her face against his chest as she had done for the previous two nights.

“I’m so sorry, Nines,” she whispered in the dark as her hand rested on the center of his chest.

He smiled down at her even though she couldn’t see it, and he placed his hand on her shoulders as he sensed her slowly succumbing to a deep sleep.

“It’s alright, Abby,” he whispered back before silencing himself completely.

“I-I just sometimes miss having a man in my life,” she slowly sighed out to him, “that’s all…”

“I understand.”

Perhaps _this_ was what ‘comfort’ and ‘empathy’ meant, though he really didn’t know. But he felt proud of himself for calming her down to the point where she was stretched out beside him, her head right in the center of his chest, and his chin and jaw placed on top of her head just as she liked it.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines heard low, pained groans as he turned around from the little kitchen stool propped before the counter by the sinks. He gazed at Gavin walking towards the fridge. His hair stuck out in odd angles, and his jeans were halfway down his hips and ass. He pulled open the fridge door, poking his head inside it while scratching his back with another hand.

Abby Reed entered the kitchen a moment later, wearing a pink bathrobe tied tightly around her body. Her long, wet hair looked almost black as she rubbed it with a white towel. Her eyes flew up to meet Nines’, and she blushed and looked away from him.

Instead, she glared at the back of her son, “Good morning, sunshine!” she hissed as she flung the towel gently at his back.

Gavin growled, “Fuck off.”

She placed a hand on her hip, “It’s almost 11 in the morning, Gavin!”

“I know.”

“You just missed your first period class.”

“I know,” he repeated again, finally pulling out a jar of milk from the fridge and reaching up into a white cabinet to pull out a mug for himself.

She shuffled her feet, “Gavin, Mr. Baxter already sent me a letter stating that if you are tardy in one more class, you won’t be graduating with your class in grade twelve.”

The teenager rolled his neck and shrugged, “So?”

“Do you even care?”

Gavin was silent, and Nines merely listened awkwardly.

“This is _your_ future; not mine,” his mother stated plainly and bluntly as she searched for sugar in the cabinets and shelves in the kitchen.

“Mr. Baxter never said anything to me!!”

She was fed up, and she threw her hands in the air after abandoning her quest for the sugar retrieval, “I don’t know, Gavin, you’re the one attending school!”

Gavin retorted back right away, “You’re the _parent_!”

His mother dropped her hands, and they slapped against the bathrobe loudly, “Unbelievable.”

Again, she turned to gaze over at Nines, as if begging him to silently help her, but the moment they made eye contact, she coughed and blushed deep pink. It seemed as if she was still thinking about what had happened in her room between them the other night.

While Nines was mostly over it, she seemed to hold some residual feelings about it. Nines hoped she wouldn’t hold a grudge and treat him differently for rejecting her romantic, sexual advances, but it appeared she hadn’t.

She made her way over to the coffee machine and turned it on as it sat next to the sink and microwave. She flashed Nines a small smile which he returned gently.

Glasses clanked together abruptly, and Abby glared up at her son as he pulled down a white mug that read: **World’s Greatest Dad.**

He began pouring himself milk, and his mother sighed, “Gavin, why’re you using that mug?”

“Because I fuckin’ can.”

She slammed a hand down by the coffee machine, causing it to rattle after she’d turned it on. It didn’t phase Gavin, and he walked over and sat down beside the stool to the right of Nines.

The android kept his eyes on Gavin, but was careful not to let them linger for too long when Abby prepared her coffee while rubbing her temples in small, smooth circles. Nines assumed she had a headache, and he was careful to keep his voice soft and gentle while he watched her pour sugar into the mug.

“I can drive Gavin to school if you want, Abby,” he offered sincerely, but she shook her head quickly.

“No, forget it, Nines,” she grabbed a spoon tightly in between her middle, index, and thumb finger as she mixed and spun her hot beverage around while pouring the milk into her cup next.

“Don’t trouble yourself with my son more than you already have.”

But he was _very_ concerned for the young teenager. Gavin’s education was at risk, and Nines didn’t feel too good about simply sitting back and watching how things went. Perhaps his mother could cope with that, but he couldn’t.

He looked at Abby in a pleading manner she missed to see, “I can tutor him,” he heard Gavin belch loudly, but he ignored it, “he seems to understand things when I explain them to him…”

Abby raised her eyes and rolled her shoulders back while placing her hands on her hips, “Yes, but-”

Gavin scratched his head, “I’ve got a headache.”

His mother took a sip of her coffee before glaring up at him, “Then stop drinking and you won’t be hungover.”

Gavin gave her a long, bland look before he simply said: “I’m not hungover…”

His mother grabbed her coffee, pulling it towards her chest as she nodded, “Right,” she made her way on the other side of the counter as she rolled her eyes at her son, “and I’m a descendant of J.K. Rowling,” she shook her head in exhaustion before leaving the kitchen.

She stopped in her tracks and turned around halfway before glaring at the mug as if it had personally offended or threatened her.

Her lips curled back, “Get rid of that after you’re done using it.” She walked on without another word.

Gavin cupped his hands around his mouth as he turned and yelled at her: “You’re late for work!!”

There was a pause, before she grumbled and headed upstairs. Once they couldn’t hear her footsteps anymore, they relaxed as android and teenager sat together in silence side-by-side.

The kitchen appliances buzzed, whirred, and hummed as they avoided eye contact for a while. Nines finally broke, and he stared over at Gavin.

Did the boy remember everything that had happened in the party?

Nines wanted to ask, but the moment he opened his mouth even slightly, Gavin stood up as he played with the now empty mug.

He pointed at the writing on the front, “She hates whenever I use this cup, man,” he chuckled while turning the mug over in his hands a few times, as if he was seeing it for the first time ever. His eyes lit up and he sighed as if remembering a memory…

“She gave it to my dad a few years after I was born…”

Nines swallowed his question down. Unfortunately, another one quickly sprang forth in its place instead.

He leaned against Gavin, “How come I haven’t seen you with a photo of your father?”

It was an interesting, honest question.

“Come to think of it,” he looked out the bright kitchen windows, “I’ve never seen _any_ photo of your father in this house.”

Nines was a permanent denizen of 282 Park Row Avenue. Whenever Gavin or Abby had gone out, he’d obviously done more than merely ‘tidying’ or organizing things; he’d often wandered the house going through their belongings. He hadn’t meant to harm them in any way, but he sought answers. He’d been through Gavin’s room well enough and plenty of times to know fully well that the teenager didn’t have a single photograph of his father.

The pictures mounted on the walls of the house and diagonally along the wall by the staircase going up were just of Gavin from childhood up until he was age thirteen. A few others were of his grandparents, his relatives, a dog, a cat, and others were just paintings Nines assumed Abby had purchased from other countries, as the paintings and images were exotic and rather different in style and artists.

Still, he had to wonder why the infamous ‘Allen Reed’ was nowhere in sight or memory…

Gavin blushed as he stared at his mug while tapping it with a finger, “Why do you care?”

“Why is it that you keep his clothes with you, but not a photo?” Nines immediately shot back, turning around and placing a hand on the counter next to Gavin’s elbow.

Gavin gripped the mug in both hands, and Nines noticed his hold on it was slowly tightening. The boy was under pressure, and Nines knew it had to have been from his line of inquiry. He decided to let it go for now, and he turned around and stared out the window.

A bird flew by, its shadow draping along his face as he smiled at the outside world.

“The weather’s nice today,” he pointed out somewhat cheerfully, “maybe later on we can go for a wal-”

“Mom made get rid of everything that was ‘dad’,” the teenager’s voice quickly interrupted, and his eyes circled the mug, as if it held the rest of the answers for him, “she told me to just forget him, and I didn’t want to have to choose between my mom or my dad…”

Nines whispered: “Why?”

Gavin whined softly before he shoved the cup into the sink. It clanked down within it roughly, and Nines peered inside it, wondering if the teenager had broken the mug. Thankfully, he hadn’t, and Nines sat back down on his stool as he waited patiently for Gavin’s response. He considered this a huge, lucky breakthrough, and he was going to allow Gavin to take all the time he needed as he breathed deeply through his nose and held his head in his hands.

“She already cut down a lot on dad seein’ me,” he tugged at his hair on the top of his head a few times, “I’m tired of them fightin’ and usin’ me like a tug-of-war rope!”

Nines came to the conclusion, even though Gavin couldn’t say it himself, “You’re tired of being pulled back and forth between them…”

The teenager nodded as he stared down at the countertop with troubled eyes and a worried expression increasing on his face, “I’m just tired, man,” he sighed and shook, “I want this shit to be over, I want everyone to get along, and if _this_ is my new life-with you and my mom-it’s fine, I don’t give a shit!”

Nines felt troubled by this recent confession, “You have to care, Gavin…”

“No I don’t!” he shook his head and straightened himself on the stool, “like I said; as soon as I’m sixteen, I’m movin’ out.”

“Where will you go, Gavin?”

“In an apartment of my own.”

“How will you pay the rent?”

“I’ll get a job!”

“Same way you’re looking for one now?”

Gavin stopped responding as he frowned down at the counter.

Nines sighed, “You need to be more realistic, Gavin,” he watched the boy pick at a few crumbs on the counter before he resumed yanking his hair gently.

After watching the motions repeated a few times, Nines placed his hand over Gavin’s in order to stop him.

“Please don’t do that to yourself,” he warned gently, and he felt the boy’s hands still as he dropped them down at his sides.

“Fine.”

Nines decided to be honest and open with the teenager as best as he could. Perhaps he would never understand the young man, or perhaps he would come to in time. He had no idea where this would take him, or if the boy would even hear one word he had to say. But it was a risk he was willing to take, considering everything they’d been through together so far.

“I may not be able to ever understand what it’s like to be a father,” he began with earnest tones rising in his voice so much that the teen turned and faced him completely.

“—but I see that despite how things may seem to you, your mother does care about you a _lot_ ,” he paused for a moment before blinking once, “and so do I.”

He meant his words with absolute sincerity that even the rowdy, pessimistic teenager was unable to deny and fight against. He simply stared at Nines with wide eyes and a lost, confused, but slightly knowing expression on his face.

Gavin’s face then turned into one of surprise and shock, and his jaw slowly dropped as he gaped at the android. He’d definitely heard him, now, and it made Nines feel a little triumphant. He rose from his seat and made his way over to the sink as he rolled up his dress shirt sleeves and began turning on the water.

“Just think about what I said, Gavin,” he began as he grabbed the dish soap and sponge, “you’re not entirely alone as you may think you are.”

With that said, be began rinsing and washing the dishes slowly and gently as Gavin sat about and watched him for almost half an hour before he slowly made his way out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

He gently closed his door, this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many emotions, my mans, so many emotions 😫😥😓😮😢👀😐😶


	7. Makeover in Noir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: WEIRD SEXUAL SCENE, AND AN ALMOST SEDUCTION!!!*

Weekends were pretty much like any other day in the Reed home. Abby didn’t counsel any clients, thankfully, but made a trip to see her ‘mother and father-in law’. Nines didn’t understand it, considering how he was certain that Abby had divorced her husband. While he still didn’t understand exactly what was ‘going on’ with this family, he’d conducted plenty of his own personal research to conclude that humans often didn’t wish to have anything to do with an ex-partner or ex-lover, especially their family members.

Not unless they had something to gain from it, perhaps?

He made sure that she had left the house when he found Gavin in the basement in front of a 70 inch flat screen TV playing, some violent, disturbing game online. He had a microphone near his mouth and an earpiece, and he was constantly swearing and yelling into it.

Nines sat down on the black sofas located behind him as the teen was sprawled on the floor with his ass in the air and legs dangling up. He was probably talking to people online while gaming, Nines assumed. Anything the teenager was screaming out was related to the sniper first-person-shooter game he was currently playing.

It was entertaining for a moment, but then the cursing and swearing grew to be too much even for the android. It wasn’t even three days ago that Nines remembered having Gavin spread out on his lap while he spanked him for swearing and showing disrespect, and now he was at it again?

Teenagers.

Gavin sat up as he screamed out at the TV, “YOU CAN SUCK MY FUCKIN’ ASS, YOU FAG!!!”

Nines growled at him through clenched teeth, “Watch your language, Gavin.”

Apparently, he’d been ignored, as Gavin was far too focused on his game. He was directing his character to run through some jungle, and he hid behind large trees before scaling up to their leafy branches and hid himself as he reloaded his weapon.

Nines wondered if Gavin even knew he was in the room with him…

The boy growled when someone fired a shot at his character.

“YOU DICKHOLE!!”

“Gavin!!”

The boy’s choice of words left a lot to be desired, and Nines was getting fed up with it as Gavin took out all his anger on the game while swearing away at the people in the multiplayer chat. He just ranted, bragged, boasted, and basically talked about ‘fucking everyone’s mother’.

Nines sighed as he simply watched the boy lie back down on the floor as he focused intently on his game. Yet again, he had to wonder how and why humans found amusement in certain strange things.

Nines was curious beyond the forms of enjoyment and entertainment Gavin selected, however; he was still wondering whether the teen remembered their kiss or not…

It was constantly on the android’s mind, but he wasn’t sure about what Gavin was thinking. It bothered him that the teenager seemed to have forgotten it due to the alcohol, and he was just going about his life as regular and usual. Nines was obsessed, and he wanted the boy to turn away from his games just once and look at him.

“Gavin?” he tried softly when the shooting and explosions stopped for a moment, but Gavin was already busy with something else.

He was looking down at his phone, and Nines peered over at it and noticed he was already in a call with one of his friends.

A tenor voice spoke out to Gavin just then, “Dude, if you ever decide to hold your own house party, make sure your android is there!”

Nines tilted his head down at the phone, attention peaked when another teenager on the other end of the line mentioned and referred to him.

Gavin squinted at the screen, “Why the fuck do you care about the android?”

“Because he’s funny as hell and a badass!” The teen he was speaking to laughed briskly, “He kicked Darren’s ass and knocked him out cold, man! That was good shit.”

Gavin scoffed as he madly smashed his fingers on the controller buttons as he steered his character out of the line of fire, “I’ll be lucky if Darren ever decides to talk to me again,” he screamed when his character was shot at, blood spraying the screen.

“FUCK!”

“Gavin.”

He healed his character up, ignoring Nines as he spoke down to the person on the phone, “As long as Jill thinks I’m still attractive though, that’s all I care about.”

At the sound of the infernal girl’s name, Nines froze up.

He didn’t mind it when they were speaking about him, even though they referred to him as ‘the android’, but he felt anger and a spark of something else flash through his system when Gavin spoke of ‘Jill’. His LED light went red and he peered down at the teenager with angry, heated eyes.

How could he speak of someone else after what they’d done together?

He really didn’t remember it at all, did he?

“She probably wants to have your babies, whatever,” the boy on the phone hissed out, sounding impatient and bored, and Nines hoped the call was going to end.

Gavin groaned through his teeth when his character was repeatedly shot at, “YOU MONKEY FUCKERS!!!”

“Gavin!!”

He threw his head back when his character was blown across the air, “SUCK MY ASSHOLE!!!”

“GAVIN!!!!” Nines roared his name, and it made his friend laugh in sheer enjoyment.

“Bro, chill,” his friend sighed, “I’ll leave you to your game, then! Kick some ass!” The line cut off, and Gavin let his phone go to sleep mode as he focused on his game.

Nines’ anger hadn’t dissipated, and he merely watched the teen slump forward as he bashed a clenched fist on the floor when he ran out of hiding places for his character to go into and heal. The enemy team was trying to locate him, but he had lost them for the moment…

Nines smirked as an evil thought crossed his mind. He looked down at the toned, firm ass not even a few inches away from where his long legs were stretched down on the floor. He had an idea.

“Gavin?” he asked sweetly and softly, but Gavin was too busy staring and picking at something on the floor to respond.

So be it.

“You want to ignore me, huh?” Nines let his left leg venture forward, and he gently rested it beside Gavin’s hip, just letting it rest there. He wasn’t that close to the boy’s body, and he waited patiently for a reaction from Gavin. When there wasn’t one, he decided to be more adventurous and daring.

He slid his leg to the side, pressing it delicately against Gavin’s hip.

Someone suddenly screamed in the game, and Gavin grabbed tightly to his game controller.

Nines glared at him.

“Oh no you don’t.” He wasn’t going to let him go anywhere or be distracted by anything else for the time being.

He raised his foot and let it hover over Gavin’s left ass cheek before he carefully and gently pressed it down on his flesh. He saw Gavin visibly straighten his neck out, but he didn’t even turn around to regard him…

How odd.

Nines merely went further, and he grazed his foot in the center of Gavin’s ass, enjoying the way the muscles tightened and clenched, as if waiting in nervous anticipation for his next move. He touched the right cheek then, wondering if Gavin still thought about his ‘beating’…

Was there a mark there?

He wished he could see it, but all he could do was press down with a little more pressure against the flesh. Perhaps if the boy made some sort of a sound, that would indicate that the beating marks were there?

Nines didn’t understand at all why he desired to know this information, but he rubbed his toes over the boy’s ass until he squirmed backwards, directly pressing himself against the sole of Nines’s black-socked feet…

He hadn’t been expecting that…

Was Gavin enjoying this, too?

Nines began to wonder as he rubbed his foot all over the teenager’s behind. He felt the bones there, the outline of his boxers, everything. He really enjoyed mapping everything out with his foot as he dragged it slowly along Gavin’s ass, moving up and down and then side-to-side slowly and gently.

Whoever knew tactile pleasures could drive an android insane?

It soon became apparent that he wasn’t the only one enjoying this…

Nines saw Gavin sliding a hand beneath and between his legs, and he spread them as his hand began moving up and down quickly…

Was he?

No…

He couldn’t be!

Nines watched him carefully while still rubbing his flesh softly. Gavin was definitely doing ‘something’, and he began panting as he pushed aside his gaming controller before pausing his game first.

So the boy _did_ have some priorities after all.

Nines took great pleasure in watching Gavin’s hand sliding up and down between his legs while he arched his back and ass against the android’s foot. Nines was encouraged by this, and he propped up a hand and rested it against his cheek as he zoned in on the way Gavin’s ass was circling and rubbing against his foot, following the motions closely and carefully every time Nines moved.

They were moving in sync with each other now; Nines placing his foot right in the center of Gavin’s opening, and sliding a toe delicately over the hole there. Perhaps he was going too far. He knew he should’ve stopped himself right there, but he felt a gush of heat surrounding his toe the moment he pressed it against the entrance to Gavin’s body down there.

He couldn’t help it after that point.

Nines chased that delicious heat, and he pressed and dipped his toe as far as it would go between the barrier the thin shorts Gavin was wearing created.

The moment he did that, Gavin’s head fell forward like a puppet that was cut off its strings. His head thudded against the floor as his hand sped the pace. He groaned loudly, and it was the exact same sexual noise he’d made on Nines’s lap three days ago.

Nines loved hearing it.

In fact, he knew for certain he wouldn’t ever get enough of it.

He dipped his toe in and out, back and forth, and then roughly pressed it against Gavin for one final time when he saw the teen’s hips jerking forward as he slammed them down against the floor. He practically pounded himself into the floor, and Nines bit down on his own tongue as he watched the motions he made. It was such a wonderful, beautiful sight, and he wanted to immortalize it into his memory forever.

He never took his eyes off Gavin while his hand slowed down, and he panted quickly before inhaling sharply through his nose. His hips were beginning to slow down, and Nines watched him withdraw his hand from beneath his shorts. It slumped beside his body, glistening wet around the fingers and palm…

Nines grinned.

Perfect.

He withdrew and retracted his foot, simply allowing it to rest momentarily on the top of Gavin’s ass, pushing his hips down onto the floor before he removed his leg entirely from the teenager’s body.

Gavin’s breathing slowed down before it regulated itself, and Nines scanned him and noticed his heart rate was back to a ‘normal pace’.

Blue eyes flew up to the screen, and Nines smirked, “Your game has been on pause for a while…”

Gavin flew upwards, pushing a button on the controller. The game went off, and in a second, he got on his feet and shut off the TV as well. He kept his eyes down to the floor as his face heated up.

Nines looked down to see a dark, wet stain clinging to the front of his grey shorts. Knowing he’d caused that to happen, he proudly stood to his feet after Gavin had run up the stairs towards his own room, or the bathroom, he assumed.

Nines collected the items Gavin had discarded on the floor, cleaning them all up slowly as he held a smile on his face the entire time.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Gavin had showered and changed into black lounge pants and a white workout shirt when Nines peeked inside his open bedroom door. He’d taken the open door as an invitation, and the teen didn’t seem to mind when Nines strolled in with his hands clasped firmly behind his back.

He wasn’t surprised to see the room messy again, but he was going to try and be patient with Gavin until he grew accustomed to starting tasks by himself. Nines knew this method would work better in the long-run as opposed to getting him to forcefully do something on a whim. He’d tested that out before, but it only made things worse…

He saw the teenager glaring at him for a moment before he raised his arms and applied deodorant to the armpits. Nines saw that he was just starting to sprout dark brown here there, too.

Interesting.

He noticed that Gavin had also shaved, but there were a few cut marks on his skin.

Silly boy.

Nines tilted his head at him as he went to sit down on his bed, searching around the room for a moment before Nines smirked at him.

“Looking for this?” he held up the boy’s iPhone in a hand, dangling it in the air like a special prize out of reach.

Gavin immediately frowned darkly at him, “Give me my fuckin’ phone back.”

Nines held up an index finger, “I have warned you about your language.”

That merely drew out a shrug from the boy as his eyes remained on the phone, “I want it back, NOW.”

“And I want your room to be cleaned, NOW.” He hated that they had to resort to this yet again, but Gavin hardly left him a choice.

The boy glared one final time at him before he flung himself off his bed and made his way around the room, picking stuff up and organizing others.

“Fine.”

Nines smiled, “That’s better.”

Gavin hurriedly cleaned his room in a jiffy, and it shocked the android. He knew exactly where everything went, and he made the room spotless within fifteen minutes. Everything had been put back in an orderly fashion, and he’d even gone so far as to wipe away dust coating his furniture with a dirty rag he found under the bed.

He then tossed out the dirty clothes into the laundry hamper before straightening out his bed and propping the pillows nicely against the headboard.

He held out his hands when he finished with the bed, “TAAAAFUCKINDAAA!!!!!!!”

Nines rolled his eyes, “Terrific.”

The teenager held out an arm, “Phone. Now.”

Nines tossed the phone his way, and he caught it perfectly in both hands. Immediately, all his attention was on the phone, and he buried himself in it as he collapsed on his bed.

To say that he was ‘alright’ with this was a blatant lie. He didn’t like that Gavin was spending a lot of his time on his phone lately, remembering what Abby had said about the possibility of him having a girlfriend…

He needed to distract him subtly, so Nines pulled out the computer desk chair and sat in it while crossing a leg over the other and patiently staring over at Gavin. The teenager was hurriedly texting away on his phone as he lay on his back. The steady tapping of his fingertips and fingernails on the phone screen started driving Nines up the walls. He cleared his throat, but that didn’t get the teen’s attention at all. No surprises there.

“Gavin,” he began as he cleared his throat once again, “has your mother really gone to see her in-laws?” He knew that this would precisely be the required ingredient towards getting Gavin’s attention. It definitely worked; the teen looked away from his phone right away while glaring straight at Nines. His eyes took a strange, dark and mature appeal to them. He almost looked like a man approaching his early twenties as opposed to a teenager just shy of turning sixteen...

“None of your business, Nines,” he spat out as he stared at his phone once before giving up on texting. He threw the phone down onto the mattress beside him and rubbed his face with his hands in a violent, scrubbing motion.

He knew he should have felt guilty for using a very sensitive topic against the teen, but strangely, he didn’t. Nines merely stared at the boy until he’d finished scrubbing his eyes and forehead before dropping his hands down to his sides on the mattress.

Nines spoke cautiously and slowly, “I thought your parents were divorced?”

Shockingly, Gavin nodded, “Yeah, they are,” he sighed as he rested his left hand over his chest, while Nines seemed surprised the teenager had even responded to him.

“--but it’s a lot easier this way in terms of paperwork and going back and forth to court if we just kept dad’s last name…”

 Nines quirked a brown eyebrow, “So what about your in-laws?”

“We just kept a good relationship with them, I guess,” he studied the ceiling, “it helps my mom sometimes.”

“How?” He really needed to stop prying.

“She gets people to vent to all the time.”

“Hmm.” How very strange it was for humans to grow attached to other things and people…but then again, he was also growing attached to this young boy…

It had become too silent in the room. Nines knew fully well that there was still a rather large elephant in the room between the two of them. Perhaps Gavin could live in the land of delusion for the rest of his life, but he himself was unable to.

He sat up straight in his chair as he studied every move the teenager made, “Are we going to keep avoiding talking about what happened in the basement?”

He saw the boy scratch at his chin, “Which time?”

Very clever. He’d obviously been thinking at least to some degree about both of the odd experiences they’d shared together in the basement.

But why?

Nines rolled his thumbs together, “Let’s talk about what happened most recently…”

Why not start there?

“That’s an open-and-shut case,” the boy stated dully, “you’re a fuckin’ perv, like I said before.”

“If that were the case, then why did you seem to enjoy it?”

Gavin sat up suddenly, “I’m a fuckin’ teenager!” he yelled out like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and the answer to everything, “I can’t control my body, but you knew that and took advantage of it!!”

While there was some truth to this statement, Nines wouldn’t really say that he had taken advantage of the boy. As far as he was concerned, everything had seemed reciprocal, mutual, and consensual. This outburst was more than likely an excuse meant to mask how Gavin really was feeling about their encounters.  

He decided to test those waters out, “You don’t have to feel ashamed about what we did, Gavin.”

“I’m not!” the boy blew up as he threw his hands into the air, “it makes no difference for me how I cum,” he explained bluntly, which earned him a tilted head from Nines.

“I just really wasn’t expecting it to be with you; a man…” 

This opened up a window towards introspection. So the boy wasn’t gay? Perhaps he was bisexual? He needed to find that out for himself…

“Do you have a girlfriend?” His teeth slammed down on his tongue the moment he shot the question out, but there was no way he could rewind time, now. 

The question made the teenager glare angrily at him. “Oh my God,” he began as he slouched forward, “is this my mom’s way of tryin’ to give me the ‘talk’?”  

Nines had no idea what he was referring to, “I’m not sure I follow you, Gavin.”

The teen huffed as he waved a hand at him while shaking his head dismissively, “This is gettin’ really old,” he hissed through his teeth as he played with his phone, “I’ve already learned everything in school about practicing safe sex and all that.”

Well then…

This had turned a new leaf, and Nines didn’t know where else to take the conversation. A million paths opened up, and he didn’t know which branch to hold onto first. All he knew was that he wanted to make sure this ‘Jill’ wasn’t Gavin’s intended target…

“What about that girl named ‘Jill’?” he ventured as he placed a hand on his chin.

As soon as he mentioned her name, Gavin’s face lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. He threw his head back and laughed before emitting a strange sigh, “Man she’s really hot,” he stated plainly as he shrugged and ruffled the back of his head.

Nines merely glared at him, “Why do you say that?”

“Have you even _looked_ at her?!?” Gavin snorted while staring at Nines up and down, “Nah, you probably don’t even have a-” his cheeks burned pink and he hung his head low while clearing his throat.

“Forget it.”

Nines wasn’t going to let it go that easily, “No, what did you want to say?”

“I said forget it, Nines.”

The android rose from his seat, “No,” he took a few steps towards the bed, “you finish your statement, right now.” His eyes glowed viciously, and his LED light was red.

Gavin sank back in the bed while staring out the window, “You probably don’t even have a dick, do you?”

Once again, they’d dove into an area and topic that they never should have to begin with. Nines was aware that what he’d started was horribly wrong, and widely inappropriate. This was a minor! In the eyes of the law, he was still a child! All these facts of life should have prevented him from even opening the door for such a conversation to ever occur.

Perhaps one day he would be able to comprehend and understand as to why he allowed such a conversation to happen, but for now, Nines took a step closer to the bed while his hands hung limply to his sides.

Something about the way the boy had stated that he was sure Nines lacked a manhood really hurt and offended the android. He wasn’t sure why, considering how it was not true. His creators had definitely left him well intact and endowed with human male genitalia. He wasn’t sure how they worked or operated, as an opportunity never had shown itself and presented itself for the situation to occur. He just knew what he had and what he possessed, but he wasn’t sure how to say this to the teenager without sounding like a perverted monster.   

He merely turned his head to the side and stared out the window just as Gavin had done previously, “Not that it’s any of your concern,” he whispered between them while staring at the tops of trees, “but I assure you, you don’t need to worry about me in that regard.” He hoped that that answer would satisfy the teenager, but he was certain it hadn’t when Gavin looked at him with a strange expression creeping on his face.

“Now that just seems to me like you’re hiding something, tin can!” He snickered at his own joke before his eyes turned to the window again.

Nines growled out at the window, “I happen to have those parts as well.” They had to stop, they had to stop right now! This was getting to be far too much for him to take! 

The teen rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Yeah sure you do, buddy.”

Why couldn’t he just leave it alone? Wasn’t enough for him already? Didn’t he already have the answer provided for him in the most subtle, polite way possible?

Nines glared down at him while his fists tightened and clenched, “Do you want me to show it to you so that you’re satisfied?”

They both stared at each other with equally shocked and frightened expressions. It took a few seconds before it registered to Nines what exactly had come out of his own mouth. He wanted to slap and kick himself until he was a shattered mess of wires, bolts another bio-components sprawled all over the floor. What had possessed him to say such a thing?

Perhaps Gavin was right: Maybe he really was a pervert.

If his weird statement hadn’t been enough to make him feel horrible, Gavin’s next words surely did.

The boy sat up while gazing between Nines’ legs seriously, “Yes,” he hissed softly, “I want to see this shit, otherwise I won’t believe you.”

What…

Nines shook his head.

He must’ve been hearing things…

“You what?!?”

Gavin nodded at him, “You heard me,” he wriggled towards the edge of the bed, “let me see it.”

Nines should have run out the room and called Abby right then and there. That would’ve been the most sensible, wise, mature, and rational thing to do. Anyone else probably would have reprimanded the teenager and stayed away from him in this case, but he didn’t. He merely stood frozen and rooted to the spot while clouds outside breezed by, momentarily providing a small shade for the two of them.

Gavin jutted out his chin, “What’re you waitin’ for?”

Nines gasped at him, “You want-”

“Yeah I wanna see it, dumbass.”

Before Nines could scold him, he snickered, “It’s not my first time seeing a penis, relax.”

Horribly lewd images and thoughts flooded the android’s mind, and the teenager must have guessed or sensed it somehow. He sighed in exhaustion and rolled his eyes as he face-palmed.

Nines glared at him, but he simply shrugged his shoulders and said: “Jesus, you really are a fuckin’ creepy pervert, aren’t you?” 

He didn’t understand.

Gavin slapped a hand down on the bed frame, “I meant I’ve seen them in the shower and locker room after gym class, you idiot!”

Oh…

Nines gaped at him, “So you mean-”

“Relax,” he held up a hand, “most of the jocks are way too proud of their bodies, and they walk around naked half the time slapping other guys asses with wet towels and shit…” he huffed, “maybe they’re the ones who’re secretly gay, eh Nines?”

Turning his nose up at that statement, Nines found he didn’t really care about other teenagers being gay or not; he was still searching for a way to put an end to this insanity, especially before Abby arrived home. Just how long was she usually out on weekends anyway?

He wanted to ask the teen, but he heard shuffling and shifting before him and looked down to see the teenager practically leaning directly between his legs.

“You gonna unzip your pants, or do you want me to do it?”

Nines took a hurried step back, “No!” he slapped the boy’s hands away, and Gavin merely laughed as he sat back and shrugged.

“Suit yourself,” he stood up as he made his way towards his closet, “I don’t care either way, but I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…”

Nines hadn’t really heard him whisper the so-called ‘secret’; he’d been far too busy feeling relief flooding through his system when he was certain that the teenager had given up on the idea of getting him to reveal himself. He wasn’t sure what had happened to make the teen lose interest in the ghastly deed, but whatever it was, Nines was thankful and grateful for it as he heard the teenager pulling open his closet doors and sighing happily.

“Damn,” he cried out in a cheerful tone, “now I can see why you were bitchin’ at me the entire time to get me to clean this shit!”

Nines hardly cared about the cursing and swearing, but he turned around and frowned at the teen anyway.

Gavin held out a hand and simply brushed a few of his fingers along his clothing resting on hangers within the closet, “I like that everything’s in a neat place, and I can actually locate a lot of my stuff easier now!”

The android nodded while taking a few tentative steps towards him, “Yes, that’s precisely the idea behind cleaning…”

Gavin beamed at him, “Guess so!”

Nines watched as the teen stood up on his toes and flicked his index finger at a belt that was hung on a hook embedded within the closet door. After tapping it a few times, he frowned as he slowly turned around and glared at Nines while studying him from head to toe slowly.

Not really appreciating the way he was being glared at, Nines took another step forward while standing taller than he usually would, “What’s your problem now?” He didn’t want to admit it, but he was in a really foul mood ever since the teenager had toyed around with the idea of wanting to see his manly endowments. He supposed that this was again another game meant to satisfy the teen’s wild curiosity and short attention span.

“Why’re you back in that gay-ass uniform again?” Gavin flicked a finger at the uniform’s sleeve, causing Nines to raise his right arm up in defense.

Nines felt his temper flare up, “Would you stop using that damn word?!”

Gavin shrugged, “I’m sayin’ it like it is!”

The android felt his fists tightening again, “Well stop saying it!”

“Why not?” the teenager immediately fired back, “I’ve heard you swear, too!”

“I don’t care-”

“Fuck, even my mom swears!”

Nines closed his eyes and counted to three, hoping he would grow calmer soon.

“See?” Gavin held up a hand, “all adults are hypocrites.”

“You try my patience,” Nines watched him turn back to his closet, and he pulled out another plastic bag full of clothes. Nines was certain these again belonged to his father.

He took a step closer to the closet, “Just how many clothes of your father’s do you have in there anyway?”

The teen hummed as he opened the bag, “Plenty enough so that when I get an android, I’ll know how to dress him up!” He winked at Nines as he chuckled softly to himself.

Nines was about to say something along the lines of Gavin not being a fashion designer or a clothing designer, when the teenager grabbed him by his shoulders and practically shoved him against his dresser where his mirror stood propped up on it.

“Wait here for a sec,” he yanked the clothes out of the bag, and Nines took a peek at them. This time, Gavin held out a black t-shirt that simply had a logo on it. The logo was of an alcohol production company called Bacardi. The white letters were plastered onto the shirt in a fancy style and font, but before Nines had more time to study it carefully, Gavin’s fingers were already tugging on his uniform collar around his neck.

The teenager grunted as he tried opening and tearing the collar away, but it didn’t work.

“Fuck sakes,” he commented as he gave up on trying to pull off the collar of the uniform. “Shit, how do you not choke with that thing around your neck like that?”

Nines sneered down at him, “I don’t really need to breathe, in case you haven’t noticed it already…”

 Gavin laughed sarcastically, “Ha ha! You’re so freakin’ funny!!”

He flung the shirt over Nines’s right shoulder, “Well, hurry up and put it on then!!” Nines watched as he bent down towards the back of the closet, and pulled out a pair of black, torn and ripped jeans. It took him a moment to realize that that was the intended style and design of the jeans, and he didn’t like them at all.

He rather enjoyed freshly ironed, pristine, graceful and stylish clothing; not ripped clothing that seemed as something a punk off the streets would be seen in. Gavin wanted him to wear these??

Perhaps the teen thought they looked ‘cool’, but there was no way on earth that Nines was going to be caught dead wearing them; not with all those holes around the kneecaps, on the back of the thighs, and especially not when there was a loose chain hanging around one of the back pockets…

No, this wouldn't do at all!

He had no choice however, as the teen went back to his closet and began rearranging the little mess he’d made. Sighing to himself, Nines shrugged out of his clothes and put on the shirt first, before he dropped his uniform pants to the floor.

He pushed his head through the opening of the shirt, noticing once again how strange it was to have Gavin’s father’s clothing fit perfectly over his body. He could have exited CyberLife wearing the same clothes, and he wouldn’t know the difference either way unless he studied the designs and styles in a mirror.

Nines had been busy studying himself in the reflection the mirror provided for him, when he heard snickering from somewhere behind him. He whipped around and glared at the teen, but his glare died away when he saw that Gavin was most definitely staring between his legs at the underwear he was wearing.

The android immediately dropped his hands to his front, trying to cover and shield his white underwear away from the teen’s inquisitive, curious eyes. But it was too late for that… 

Gavin merely crossed his arms over his chest while nodding up and down as he studied the area between the android’s legs. He seemed impressed, and he slowly raised his eyes up to meet Nines’ embarrassed ones.

The teenager let out a small whistle, “Well damn, tin can,” he uttered as he took in a sharp breath, “if you were human, you’d be buried up to your neck in pussy for sure!”

Nines bent down and swiped his uniform off the floor before he rolled it into a tight bundle and flung it forward at Gavin. The damn brat managed to shield himself behind one of the half-open closet doors as he giggled away like a maniac at his own joke.

There was nothing about the situation that Nines found funny at all, but for some strange reason, he couldn’t help but feel a smile slowly tug and tease at the corners of his mouth. 

This boy had a contagious laugh, for sure.

Allowing the teenager to giggle away, Nines hurriedly dressed, keeping his eyes away from the mirror until he’d zipped himself up in the jeans. Only then did he turn and face himself.

He found that he didn’t mind the tears and rips in the jeans that much, especially now that he saw himself in the flesh wearing the jeans. They had been put in the right places; only showing off some of his kneecaps and the side of one of his thighs.

He toyed with the little chain hanging from the back right-hand pocket, enjoying how cold it felt against his skin. He gave it a little curious tug, happy that it didn’t fall off. It seemed to just ‘go’ with the overall theme of the dress, and it was a style he didn’t mind at all.

“Hang on a second…”

He was interrupted from his inner musings by Gavin approaching. He turned away from the mirror, but the teen grabbed his chin roughly and spun his neck around to face the glass.

As Nines watched on, Gavin’s hands flew up to his hair.

“Gonna fix this,” he began flailing his fingers through the android’s dark brown hair a little, and as his hands moved throughout his hair, Nines fought back hard not to close his eyes and enjoy the feeling of having Gavin’s fingers playing with his hair strands.

It felt really good…

His eyelids grew heavy, but Gavin was soon finished as he slapped a hand over the back of Nines’ neck.

“Check it out!” He stood proudly beside Nines in the mirror, and Nines noticed just how short the teenager was…

He knew he had been staring at Gavin for too long when the teenager stepped on his foot.

“Look!!”

He did, and he found that while his hair was a little shaggy and the bangs were parted slightly to the sides, he didn’t find it all that repulsive. He kind of looked younger, he thought…

His hair hung down to his ears, and Gavin reached up and brushed the bangs away from his forehead. His fingers slid over his LED light, and Nines nearly gasped out loud.

Gavin hummed as he studied his ‘project’, “Fuckin’ perfect, Nines!!”

Looking at himself from head-to-toe, the android had to agree.

“Fucking perfect, Gavin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think 'punk' Nines would be badass to draw, just as an off-side note.


	8. The Family Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: UNDERAGE KISSING!!*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A segment of this chapter is loosely inspired by the 1997 film adaptation of 'Lolita'. Dominique Swain was amazing in it, check the film out :)

They had to eventually talk about what happened. It wasn’t avoidable as a little itch that was unreachable for some time, or a bit of dust on a windowsill that you could always clean away just before you had company at the very last minute; this was a much more serious topic, and it demanded attention. The longer they put it off, the worse it would get.

Nines really tried his best to find some time alone with the teenager to ask him in a ‘subtle’ manner what-if anything-he remembered about their kiss, but he found that any time he attempted to get Gavin alone, there was _some_ form of an interruption.

On Sunday, when he tried approaching Gavin in the late morning, Abby entered the kitchen and announced that they had to go to Church. This was a first, but Nines had silently allowed Abby to hand him a suit that she claimed belonged to one of her exes to wear for attending Church. He dressed in the cringeworthy tan-colored suit and dark green tie, settling uncomfortably on a Church pew while Gavin sat beside him, snickering and playing with the tie. Nines would gently slap his hand away from tugging and prodding at it with his fingers each time, and it earned them plenty of dark scowls and glares from a bunch of old ladies sitting in front of them, but they made it through the Sermon and Mass in one piece and drove back home.

The second time Nines attempted to talk to Gavin, the doorbell rang, and a UPS delivery android informed them that he was here to deliver a new ‘coffee table set’. Nines wanted to send him away while he stood at the front door with Gavin next to him, chewing loudly on bubblegum.

Abby then appeared behind them and leaned against Nines while rubbing his back as she mentioned that she’d placed the order for the table set a long time ago.

He had no choice but to help her bring it in, take it out of the box, and put it together while Gavin watched as he blew loud, obnoxious bubbles with his gum. He burst them against Nines’ ears with a finger while giggling and circling the adults as they assembled the table.

Nines was then peering inside the oven, carefully trying to grip the cooked roast beef in both his oven-mitt-covered hands when he felt something cold and wet slash against his neck. He set the food on the top of the oven carefully while throwing one mitt off and rubbing the back of his neck.

When he brought his hand over to his face, he saw bright green silly string sticking to his fingers and palm.

Disgusting.

He glared over his shoulder at Gavin, who was running back into the main hallway while laughing his ass off like an impish demon.

Dinner had been a jumbled mess of a situation: Abby was chiding and trying to force Gavin to have more vegetables, Gavin was constantly kicking Nines in the ankles, and shins, and Nines was busied with trying to step on the boy’s toes in retaliation.

The table moved and scraped its legs against the kitchen floors whenever Gavin and Nines accidentally knocked their knees together beneath the table. They were throwing each other dirty, angry scowls and murderous glances while trying to give off the impression to Abby that they were fine and getting along well.

Every so often when the table was dragged in one direction or another, Abby would peer down beneath the table, and they would pull their legs back to themselves while smiling politely at her when she glanced up at them again.

It wasn’t long before she had to leave to go to her office; one of her clients was going to drop in for an emergency counseling session, and they repeatedly called her on the phone as Nines tried gathering her dish and placing her leftover food inside a container. He was in the middle of placing it all in the fridge for later when Gavin ran up behind him and kneed him right in the ass.

His forehead slammed into the fridge handle, and he practically bashed his body against the fridge before he held out a hand and placed it on the door to stop himself from falling into the expensive appliance.

He whipped around quickly, gently and carefully batting the boy on the head while Gavin laughed and snickered. Nines didn’t find it amusing, but they both beat their hands and batted away at each other, and soon, it occurred to Nines that this was Gavin’s form of ‘play’ and roughhousing…

After he’d put away the rest of the food and started up the dishwasher, Nines found Gavin sitting in the living room while placing his feet on the coffee table in front of him.

Peeking at the soles of his socked feet, Nines growled. Gavin’s white socks were almost brown. Why was he placing his dirty feet on a table Nines himself had _just_ cleaned and put together not even two hours ago?

The nerve…

Placing himself on the sofa next to the teenager, Nines reached out a long arm and shoved Gavin’s feet clean off the table.

“Feet. Off.”

Gavin’s feet slammed back down on the porcelain tiles, but he grinned as he yanked off his hoodie and sweater and flung it at Nines.

Nines shoved it to the side, “Stop!”

“Shhhh!!!” Gavin pressed an index finger over the android’s lips, “my mom’s workin’, Nines!” he giggled as he stared up at the ceiling, “we can’t make a lot of noise…”

Nines turned his head to the side, “Stop pestering me and I won’t, then.”

The teenager’s finger flew up towards his nose, now, and Nines slapped his hand down roughly, “Enough is enough, Gavin,” he warned while glaring seriously at the boy, hoping he had made his point loud and clear.

He hadn’t, and Gavin threw his head back on the top of the sofa as he sighed while rolling his knees from side-to-side. They slammed against Nines’ ribs, and every time they collided against his body, he gripped the boy’s kneecaps and shoved them to the other side away from his body.

“Can’t you sit still for five minutes?!” Nines hissed and silenced himself right away when he heard loud sobbing coming from Abby’s office upstairs, followed by Abby whispering ‘shhh’ over and over to her client.

Gavin leaned against him while giving him a hard shove with both hands, “I’m boooorrreeedddd!”

Nines shrugged, “Not my problem,” he brushed off his grey jeans and red-and-black-checkered plaid shirt, “find something to occupy your mind with.”

The boy blew a bit of hot air into his hair, and Nines ducked his head low, “Did you do your homework?”

Gavin rolled his eyes, “I diiiiid!!!”

“Go find something to do, then,” Nines warned gently, constantly mindful of the volume of his own voice as he spoke on, “just stop bothering me!”

A hand flew through his hair, and Nines froze in the middle of reaching for a magazine resting in the small book rack placed beneath the coffee table. He’d been preparing for Gavin to try to ‘hurt’ him, but instead, the young teen had fluffed his hair and ruffled it a few times before sighing out in mild frustration.

Nines peeked at him from the corner of his eyes and watched as he sniffled and wiped his nose with the back of a hand while putting his hoodie back on and draping the hood over his head. His blue eyes seemed luminous as he gazed up at Nines with a half-smirk on his lips.

Something was on his mind, and Nines literally could see the wheels in the teenager’s head turning.

He swallowed, “What?”

Gavin looked down at his hands while still smirking to himself, “I need your help with somethin’, Nines…”

Immediately falling into curiosity, Nines leaned closer to him, “What is it?”

Gavin crossed his arms over his chest, but then his left hand fell down on the cushion between them, and he let his fingertips barely graze the outside of Nines’ right thigh. Nines glanced down at Gavin’s fingers just there inches away from his leg, and he had a sudden instinct and drive to press his leg into the boy’s hand…

This was _not_ good…

Still, he watched eagerly as Gavin’s fingers trailed and danced along the lining of the cushion of the sofa, and his mind supplied and imagined the boy’s fingers doing that right between his legs…

NO!!!!

He shook his head and he glared at Gavin, “Out with it! What do you want from me?”

The sooner he found out what the boy wanted, the faster he could help him with whatever he needed, and then leave. If only Gavin would stop dragging this out and teasing…

“Nines…”

“What?”

Gavin looked up at him with mischievous eyes, “What’s it like to make out with someone?”

Oh for…

Fuck’s…

Sake…

Nines nearly crashed to the floor. He had no idea how he’d managed to hold his own weight up after hearing such a thing, but he tried getting up from the sofa to leave, when Gavin grabbed both his hands.

“Stay!!”

Nines was paralyzed. Gavin may have been a brat, granted, but he surely didn’t want to discuss the art of kissing with an android, did he?! What was Gavin even thinking asking this?! This had to be another lame attempt at a joke, and Nines didn’t take too kindly to it.

He tried snatching his hand out of the teenager’s, but he was forcefully yanked back down onto his ass. The sofa shook briefly, and Nines felt a warm hand pressing against his cheek. Gavin turned the android’s head over to face him, and he leaned up on his knees as he placed a free hand right in the middle of Nines’ left thigh…

His eyes held a playful glint as he grinned at Nines, “Come on, Nines,” he whispered sensually and softly, “everyone my age has done _something_ by now…”

No.

“Please just teach me a little?”

Was this even happening?

Nines wanted to double-check, and he gasped, “You want me to-”

The teenager nodded, “It’ll help me when I want to ask Jill out.”

A dark cloud immediately fell over Nines. No way. He refused to allow this to happen, especially if Gavin was only using him for the purposes of getting closer to Jill. He wasn’t going to be a ‘practice dummy’, and he pressed a hand into the young boy’s chest when he leaned even closer against his face.

“No, Gavin,” he backed himself into the opposite end of the sofa, “you can’t use me like that.”

Nines immediately cringed. Why had _that_ come out of his mouth first? He should’ve mentioned that this was wrong due to Gavin’s age, and due to the fact that Nines was supposed to look after him and be his guardian!

But yet…he wasn’t…

He’d never agreed to it, and there was nothing in both his programming and in the way Abby spoke to him that suggested this…

What was happening?

Nines had apparently been silent and wrapped in his thoughts for too long, and he failed to notice the teenager climbing on top of him as he wrapped a hand around his neck loosely while pressing their foreheads together. The hoodie’s cotton fabric scraping against his skin was what broke him out of his semi-daydreaming, and he gasped when he saw the teen grinning down at him, their lips inches apart…

“Gavin…”

He shifted on the android’s lap, “I swear it’ll only be for like, two minutes!”

Nines shook his head, “No!”

Gavin looked determined, and he draped another hand over Nines’ shoulder, “Yes…”

The android squirmed backwards against the sofa, but that wasn’t helping. Gavin merely settled in his lap more comfortably, draping his legs on both sides of Nines’ long legs as he sighed and pressed the tip of his nose against the android’s.

In a last, feeble attempt to get this to stop, Nines hissed through clenched teeth, “I’m your guardian, Gavin!!”

The teenager snickered, “You’re not my dad.”

“I said _guardian_!!”

The boy shrugged as he stared down at Nines’ lips without any shame, “Same difference.”

As their lips almost began to touch, Nines spat out desperately: “Think of your mother!!”

That seemed to do something, and Gavin sat up as he leaned back a little and glared at Nines from beneath the dark hoodie.

“She doesn’t have to know, right Nines?”

Lie for him again?

NO!

Nines was about to protest, when he heard loud laughter ringing from above. He made the mistake of throwing his head back to peer up at the ceiling, and the moment he exposed his long neck to the boy, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss right in the center of it.

That was it.

Gone were all semblances of his self-control. The moment he felt those warm, wet lips touch his skin, he was done for.

His arms flew up along the teen’s back, and he gripped the back of his head so tightly that he was certain the boy let out a little surprised gasp. Nines smashed their lips together in the most violent way, practically devouring Gavin’s mouth as he forcefully wedged his tongue between those rose-colored lips. He should have stopped, or at the very least, he should have taken it slowly, but he couldn’t.

Muffling down Gavin’s protests and sounds of whimpering, Nines ate it all up as he licked and stroked his way inside the teenager’s warm mouth. His programming about human sexuality and foreplay had kicked in, and he was simply ‘obeying’ and going along with it.

His hands held and cradled the teenager to his chest while he kissed him deeply and passionately. Gavin seemed to pick up the art of kissing, and in no time, he placed his hands on Nines’ shoulders and then draped and slid them over to his back as he pressed himself down firmly into the android’s lap.

The warm, delicious weight on top of his body was driving Nines insane. Gestures, motions, and other forms of responding and dealing with taking the experience to the next level entered his mind. He could push the boy back to lie down onto the sofa while taking his clothes off, he could gently coax him to let them both inside his bedroom and continue it from there, or he had the option of pressing him down to the floor as he had his way with him…

He didn’t know which of these possibilities to follow through with, so he abandoned them all. Instead, Nines decided to remind himself over and over that this was an inexperienced young teenager. He just wanted to fool around like many others his own age were doing. There was nothing further to read into it, and he had to prevent this from ever happening again…

But it was now their second kiss, and Nines wondered if Gavin even recalled the first one happening to begin with…

His fingers slipped down and rested on the boy’s hip, and it caused Gavin to moan as he tapped and slid his tongue over Nines’s. It was amazingly beautiful and magnificent what the android was able to sense and determine from tasting him alone.

Images of the corn Gavin had munched on during dinner suddenly flashed in his mind, before it cut again to Gavin’s tongue pushing around the cherry-flavored bubblegum in his mouth. Finally, Nines was able to sense and taste a small hint of tobacco just hanging on the edge of Gavin’s tongue…

It was then that Nines decided he actually _liked_ how Gavin tasted, even if he smoked.

His tongue glided back, mapping out the young boy’s bumpy, small taste buds, and Gavin shivered in delight as he practically bit Nines’ tongue and lips, suddenly. The kiss began turning messy, sloppy, and it was becoming unbridled with heated lust brewing between them.

Nines knew he should have broken out of the kiss right there, but he let it continue as both his hands flew down to grip Gavin’s ass in his jeans…

He firmly palmed the flesh through the fabric, and Gavin sighed and cooed into his mouth as his tongue flickered over the top of Nines’ teeth.

Heavens…

Nines gave the teen a small slap on his ass, and Gavin’s hips slammed against his own right then. Gavin enjoyed it immensely, and he fisted tufts and clumps of the android’s dark brown hair as he turned it into one messy heap on top of his head while their tongues dueled and battled for dominance and control.

Their heads were spinning, and Nines pressed the palm of his right hand against Gavin’s heart over his chest. The muscle was pumping and racing like a wild rabbit through a field, and it made Nines lightly nip the tip of Gavin’s tongue.

Suddenly, a door opened upstairs, and they heard heavy footsteps descending the staircase.

“Thank you so much, Dr. Reed,” a deep, feminine voice rang out, “I’ll see you next week?”

Another pair of footsteps soon followed, and as Nines’ eyelids flew open, he heard the feet approaching the entrance to the living room just a few inches away from the hall.

Gavin yelped as he rolled off Nines’ lap, and he flung himself to the right as he swiped off a large, round, yellow bubblegum off the table Nines had never seen there before.

He yanked down his hoodie and popped the gum into his mouth at the same time Abby Reed and an older, heavyset woman stopped in front of the entrance to the open-concept living room.

The woman was probably in her late forties, and she had short, white-blonde hair and long, hooped-earrings that gleamed in the light as she smiled over at Gavin and Nines.

“Nines! Gavin! What’re you two doing sitting here?” Abby smiled as she pulled down a large, dark brown spring jacket from the black coat rack standing propped against a wall close to the table set in the hall.

Nines suddenly remembered that Gavin was tugging on his hair earlier, and his hands flew up to rearrange it, when the teenager stretched out his arms and legs while pretending to yawn and stretch. He playfully slapped his hands against both of Nines’ cheeks as he dug his knees into the android’s thighs while Abby’s client shook her head and grinned.

“Good to see young Gavin growing up so fast!!”

Gavin batted and fluttered his eyelashes at the woman while slapping Nines’ cheeks slowly, one-hand-at-a-time while he smiled sweetly at the older lady.

He chewed on his bubblegum as Nines struggled to push his hands off his face, “Good evening, Miss,” he grunted when Gavin slapped him particularly hard while blowing his bubblegum slowly. It expanded high into the air as the older lady approached the sofa.

“Your coat is ready, Mrs. Mills,” Abby smiled politely as she held out her client’s jacket.

The older woman sighed as she allowed Abby to drape the coat over her arms while she pushed her short limbs inside the sleeves, “It’s _so_ good to see that you’re finally getting some help around your house, Dr. Reed,” she stated as she nodded in Abby’s direction.

The woman smiled back, “Yes, I think Nines makes a wonderful addition to our family,” she glanced down at him cheerfully while Gavin turned and poked his index finger into Nines’ right cheekbone.

Nines hissed at him while Gavin slapped a steady beat on his thigh, and he tried shoving the teenager off him while Abby and her client giggled to themselves.

“He’s wonderful with Gavin,” Abby stated as she placed her hands on her hips and peered at Nines with joy and pride all over her face.

POP!! The bubble burst, and already, Gavin was making a new one.

The older lady leaned against the armrest of the sofa as she held her purse in her hands and looked cheerfully at them, “You’re very kind to help out with Gavin,” she looked back at Abby, “what was his name again?”

“Nines,” Abby stated warmly as Nines leaned back against his side of the armrest while Gavin continued to climb up on him while his bubble grew larger and rounder.

The android nodded as he pressed a hand against Gavin’s chest, momentarily stopping him from pressing his face right against his own, “I appreciate that, Miss- AAH!!” Gavin dug his kneecap into Nines’ thigh as he sat up and playfully tapped his chin.

The older lady chuckled, “Please, call me Jennifer!”

“Please t-t-to meet y-you, Jennifer-AAH!!” Nines nearly doubled over when Gavin playfully jabbed his chest with an elbow roughly, while giggling and chuckling with pride over his own actions.

Abby opened the front door and held out a hand for her client, “Well,” she smiled widely as her green eyes seemed warm and pleasant as she regarded her client, “please don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything, Mrs. Mills.”

Gavin waved at the woman’s back as she walked slowly over to the door, and the bubblegum grew impossibly larger.

“Goodnight, Jennifer-OH!!!” Gavin kicked a foot back and it slammed against the inside of Nines’ left thigh. He grimaced as he shoved the foot away from there in a hurried motion.

The door softly closed.

POP!!!!

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Gavin had been in the shower when Nines had some ‘free time’ to himself, though the time he had to himself was short-lived. After her client left, Abby begged Nines to join her for a ‘yoga’ lesson in the basement. Trying to buy time while Gavin showered, Nines reluctantly followed Abby down into the basement.

She’d already laid out two, long purple yoga mats on the floor, and above on the wall, the TV was on ‘pause’ and a woman wearing yoga pants and a blonde-ponytail was frozen on the screen, smiling at them.

Nines had joined Abby and accompanied her throughout her entire routine. Their mats were very close together, which he didn’t like. Every so often, when Abby was stretching with her head down and eyes closed, he would shift his mat away from hers.

Unfortunately, she must’ve noticed, for her own mat scooted closer and closer to his own as the instructor on the DVD shouted and encouraged out instructions to them.

Abby was wearing hot pink yoga pants that were very tight, and they left practically nothing to the imagination. She had on a white workout top, and she really was going out of her way to do the exercise, and then more…

Nines watched as she purposefully turned a lot of the positions the instructor on the TV gave out into ‘inappropriate’, concupiscent ones. When they were both instructed to get on all fours while arching their backs up like a frightened cat, Nines watched in horror as Abby stuck out her ass high in the air and threw her head back and moaned loudly.

Dear gods above…

They now had to lean their bodies forward on their elbows, stretching out their backs as they gripped the front of their mats and lifted one of their left legs high and straight into the air backwards.

Nines completed the pose as best as he could, but Abby bit her lower lip when she stared at his black muscle shirt. Her eyes ate up his muscles and nipples, and she gasped sensually as her leg fell softly to the mat while she leaned forward so low to the floor that her breasts pushed against the soft mat.

She groaned as she studied him, and Nines prayed Gavin was soon going to be out of the shower when they had to get into their next position.

They had to cradle themselves into a ball, now, tucking their legs and knees beneath their bodies as they held their hands above their heads while they tucked their necks and heads down, bending enough so they would stretch their neck muscles.

He quickly got into the position, grateful that he wouldn’t have to see Abby anymore, but the moment he bent his head down, he felt long, sharp fingernails scraping over his scalp…

A soft moan sounded above him, and Nines closed his eyes as he tucked his chin into his chest as far as he could bend it.

The fingers gently pulled on his hair strands, next…

“Oh my entire god!”

They flung upwards out of their positions at the sound of the new voice. Gavin stood by the last basement step as his wet hair clung to his neck and temples, the water slowly dripping off the ends while a white towel was draped across his neck. He held onto both ends of the towel as he grinned at Nines and his own mother.

“What were you guys doing?”

Abby stood to her feet, brushing her hair back and tugging nervously at the bun she’d made it into at the top of her head while hissing to Gavin through clenched teeth, “Sweetie, what’re you doing here?”

She gripped the back of his neck, and it seemed like she wanted to throw him back up the steps in a second if she had the strength for it.

Gavin pushed her hand away, but she held onto him with a tight grip.

Nines stood to his feet, brushing a hand through his messy hair as he avoided staring at them both while he rolled up his yoga mat, “I was just exercising with your mother, Gavin…”

The teen snorted, “Uh huh…”

She glared down at him, “Gavin…” her tone was a warning one that he didn’t heed.

“If that’s what you guys wanna call it, it’s cool,” Gavin stated plainly as he shrugged, “but the moment I hear funny noises, I’m blastin’ my music!”

His mother smacked him on the back of the head, “GAVIN!!” She blushed deep pink, and then began tugging on her earlobes as she ran up the steps without another word.

Gavin gestured behind his shoulder with a thumb, “She tugs on her ears whenever she’s nervous.”

Nines didn’t care, but he rolled his eyes as he placed his mat and Abby’s inside a large, clear, plastic bin resting against the wall of her ‘workout station’. When he was finished, he placed a hand on Gavin’s back as he spun the boy around to face the steps.

He pointed up at them, “Get going upstairs.”

“Why?!?!” Gavin spat at him with venom and attitude, “I didn’t do anything!!”

Nines leaned down slightly, though he still loomed over the short teenager, “I don’t care,” he stated thinly, “I need to talk to you, _now_.”

The teen rolled his eyes, but stomped up the steps without another word. When he was all the way at the top, he threw his wet towel down at Nines. It landed by his feet, and the android didn’t bother picking it up as he turned off the basement lights and slowly ascended the steps with anger and rage burning in his eyes.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines practically slammed Gavin’s bedroom door shut once they were both inside the room. He stood high above the teen, an arm placed on his right hip as he glared down at the boy. Gavin wouldn’t back down, and he craned his head up at Nines while glaring angrily at him.

“What?”

Nines sneered, “Don’t you ‘what’ me,” he whispered, his patience wearing thin, “you know _very well_ ‘what’.”

Gavin elbowed him in the chest in retaliation, “You’re nuts, man.”

“Practicing for Jill?!?” Nines growled as he fought hard to keep his voice down. He just wasn’t able to when he remembered Gavin’s words before their sensual ‘kissing lesson’….

He’d really tried putting it past them and allowing the moment to disappear from his mind, but with how Gavin had kissed him twice, now, there was just no way he wanted to let it go. He wanted to make sure Gavin was never going to kiss Jill-or anyone else-like this ever again!

Nines was ashamed and afraid of his own thoughts, but he couldn’t stop them, and he gave in to his carnal, possessive nature as he slammed a hand on the wall above the teen’s head. It shook the closet doors, but it didn’t scare the young boy off as he rolled his eyes at Nines.

“What’s your problem, Nines?”

He came right out with it, “You’re not going to kiss her.”

Gavin stuck out his chest, “Says who?”

“Says me,” Nines shot back, his LED light red as his eyes glowed with anger in them. It went over the teenager’s head as he laughed at shrugged.

“I don’t know what the big deal is,” he laughed again, this time a confused expression crossed his young face, “I was honest with you, right?”

That was hardly the point. Nines didn’t want to be used, period. It was that simple to him. He only wished the teen would understand how he felt…

He pressed his clenched fist against the wall, not noticing that his knuckles were growing white as he sneered through his words and spat them out harshly, “You’re not allowed to have a girlfriend, remember?” He tilted his head up at the last word, raising an eyebrow as he smirked cruelly down at the boy.

Gavin gasped and held a hand to his chest, “Ouch, Nines.” He was being sarcastic, but there was a small blush on his cheeks as his eyebrows tightened, and his jaw grew tense, along with his temples.

He was really struggling hard not to burst out in fury, and Nines admired for a moment how composed the teenager was. He’d meant to be cold, cruel, and vicious, and it had worked. The teenager swallowed, and his chin shook for a moment before he tightened and straightened himself up and stood as tall as he could.

“Well I’m gonna do whatever the fuck I want,” he announced proudly and confidently, and Nines nearly wanted to ram him against the wall for daring to speak back to him in such a way.

His lips curled back in a low snarl, “You little-”

“Might wanna watch your threats, Nines,” Gavin winked, “mom’s in the shower just halfway down the hall, you know…”

The sound of running water hit his audio receptors, and Nines knew the teenager wasn’t lying. As he was focusing on the sounds of Abby showering for a moment, Gavin tore away from the wall and in between the android’s body, hurrying towards his bedroom door as he threw it open widely.

It banged against the wall, and he flipped Nines off while laughing as he leapt down the stairs.

“Blow me, Nines!!” He screamed in delight as he thundered down the steps and onto the main floor of the house.

Had he stuck around a little longer, he would’ve seen a very evil, nasty grin forming on the android’s face as his fists tightened and his shoulders rolled back.

He grinned over at the bed in the far end of the room as he whispered to himself, “Careful what you say, Gavin…”


	9. Coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT!!!! FINAL WARNING*

The bed covers were yanked off Gavin’s sleeping form in one jerk of a motion as the teenager lay flat on his stomach and groaned.

“It’s a Monday morning, Gavin,” his mother spat down at him, hurrying back towards the open door as she checked the time on her phone.

“—get up for school, else Nines won’t be driving you there, and you’ll have to walk.” She turned and placed a hand on the android’s shoulder, giving it a firm pat as she headed down the steps, gathering her research and client case notes in a folder while picking up her laptop in its bag that was set and carefully arranged for her by the front door.

She pushed her hair back in a ponytail as she checked out her figure in the mirror hanging in the hall, “Thank you, Nines!” She chose not to wear a jacket today, as the weather was very warm, for once. She resorted to wearing a light yellow and black floral-print summer dress that came up to her kneecaps as she slid into black high heels. She was wearing a thin layer of eyeliner over her eyelids, outlining them nicely as she gathered her items in her arms.

Nines turned his back to her quickly as he stared at Gavin. The teenager pulled the covers back over his head, and Nines felt himself irritated already.

It wasn’t even 8:30 AM, and already Gavin had managed to get on his nerves…

What a lovely start to their week.

Abby waved goodbye to him as she stepped out the front door, “See you around 3 PM, Nines!!” She was almost on the front porch when she poked her head back inside the house and shouted up: “GAVIN!!! LOOK FOR A DAMN JOB!!”

The door slammed, and it was music to Nines’ ears.

They were alone, finally.

He took his time, rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt as he tilted his head to the side and leaned in the doorway of the teen’s bedroom, just watching Gavin’s back rise and fall beneath the sheets. They rose and fell with him inhaling and exhaling, and Nines was mesmerized by the sight of it for the longest time.

In the midst of his fond daydreaming, he suddenly remembered how Gavin had shown him his middle finger yesterday, and all parts of his system were suddenly ‘alert’. He straightened himself up, pushing away from the doorframe as he softly padded across the room and leaned over Gavin by the bedside.

The light from the hallway that poured in his room made the teenager open one eye, and it peered up at Nines from over the top of his sheets.

Gavin groaned as he pushed the sheets back and turned over onto his back as he scratched his head, “What’re you doin’, Nines?”

Nines merely quirked a brow, “What does it seem like I’m doing, Gavin?”

The boy yawned and then stretched his back out, “You’re bein’ a creep, that’s what it seems like.”

The android snorted softly, “Then you know the answer.”

Gavin suddenly glared at him. He seemed fully awake, now, and it must have been something Nines said that really got to him. He suddenly stood up out of his bed as he hung his hands down by his sides and frowned darkly at Nines.

They stared at each other for far too long. It began pissing the teenager off when Nines refused to back down, and he huffed in annoyance as he spat out: “Hey, bring me a coffee, dipshit!”

Nines was floored. His eyes grew wide, and his LED light gave off a warning yellow sign as he snarled at Gavin, “I beg your pardon?”

The blue eyes glaring up at him turned bitter, “Get a move on! I gave you an order!”

Nines found himself losing control for the second time in less than 24 hours. As fast as a cobra, his arms wrapped around the teenager’s bare neck. Gavin’s eyes flew open in shock; all the hairs on his upper torso stood on end as Nines flung him down to lie flat on his bed.

In an instant, the tall android had draped himself over Gavin’s body. He pressed the teen into the mattress as he pushed him down and held him roughly with a hand, while the other rested in his hair.

Gavin struggled for a moment, arms flying up to grip Nines’ wrists, but the android wouldn’t budge. He pressed himself deeper against Gavin, practically making the younger male mesh against his own mattress. Their little struggle made Gavin groan in pain as he shook against Nines’ hold on him.

The eyes of the android narrowed down at him in dangerous slits as he flashed his perfect white teeth at him, “What did I tell you about manners, Gavin?”

The teenager hiccupped and gulped, gaping up into his eyes as his jaw fell open slowly, “I…I didn’t mean t-to disrespect you…”

“Hmmm, but you did, Gavin…”

“I’m s-sorry…”

That was much better.

Nines’ breath fell against his cheeks, and it caused Gavin to blush. The sun was rising slowly behind the windows, and even though the curtains and blinds were drawn, Gavin’s bright eyes beamed at Nines when the light seeped in the room.

Gasping and feeling himself lost for words at the sight before him, Nines brushed his hand softly through Gavin’s hair while he stared down at Gavin’s lips.

He’d kissed those lips barely a night ago…

He hummed softly in pleasure at the memory, and Gavin stiffened beneath him. He then felt the teenager relaxing against his body, and Nines knew he had Gavin right as he wanted him…

His fingers combed through the teenager’s clean hair, flicking it back and upwards as he lowered his nose near the dark brown roots and intently studied the color. It was so light in the sun, but it was also very rich in brown. Nines liked the contrast and tinge, and his eyes soaked up Gavin’s features like a starved sponge dipping in water for the first time.

Nines found himself falling in love even with the scar on Gavin’s nose. He wondered what had happened to the boy to make him end up with such a mark to begin with. Was it a childhood accident? Did it have to do with his father?

The thought troubled him, but he leaned ever forward, not sure what he wanted to do. The teenager froze up, and he gasped and blinked a few times in quick succession as he waited for Nines to make his next move. Nines leaned in closer and closer until their lips were barely an inch apart…and suddenly, he moved his neck up, and only kissed Gavin’s forehead softly. The teenager breathed sharply as he closed his eyes and trembled. Nines felt hurt by it, but he ended the kiss softly as he pressed his palms against the mattress and pushed himself off Gavin and onto his feet.

He held out a hand and waited until the boy had taken it. But he glared and frowned up at Nines as he allowed the android to help him up. Once he was on his feet, Gavin slammed a shoulder into Nines’ sternum roughly. It barely made the android move, and he snickered as he watched Gavin look at himself in his mirror.

Nines clasped his hands behind his back as he cheerfully looked at Gavin fixing his hair with his fingertips. His hair stood out in a mop of a mess as he gave up on it and instead glared away at his own reflection.

“What do you take in your coffee, Gavin?” His cheerful, chipper tone made the teen visibly tighten up, but he refused to make eye contact or turn around and face the android.

Gavin only scowled at him from within his mirror.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

“I have an exam today,” Gavin plainly and blandly announced while Nines was reading the morning paper.

He didn’t really hear the words properly, so they didn’t register and resonate. He merely nodded while smiling at the section in the paper he was reading.

“That’s wonderful, Gavin.”

“I didn’t study.”

Wait…

Nines threw the paper on the kitchen counter as he turned and glared at Gavin stumbling about the kitchen. An exam?! He immediately replayed the teen’s voice in his mind as his LED light blinked rapidly.

Gavin grabbed a snack bar as he tore through it with his teeth and sighed in relief when he finally bit into the chewy bar.

His expression turned into one of glee while he ate his breakfast heartily, “Didn’t thudy,” he admitted with a full mouth.

“You _what_?!?”

The teen nodded at him, “Sorry.”

Again, he wasn’t the least bit sorry, and Nines growled as he pressed a hand against his forehead, “Which class was it for?!”

A loud belch was his answer, and Nines roared at the back of his throat.

“Geez! Chill!”

Nines pointed a finger up at Gavin, “Which class was it for?! Answer my question!!”

A shrug came his way while Gavin tapped his feet on the floor of the kitchen as he sighed. He wore a smug expression on his face, but then chose to sit down next to Nines on a stool propped against the counter, “English.”

Nines let out a small sigh of relief. English wasn’t the most important topic, but they had to come up with some solution to this issue. Gavin’s grades and future were at stake, and while he didn’t want to send him to class without being prepared, he couldn’t just let him skip…

He looked at the boy with desperate eyes, “What do I do?”

Gavin swung his legs back and forth a few inches off the floor as he finished his snack. He was purposefully dragging it all out, and Nines had enough of it after another minute of slow chewing. He yanked the snack bar out of Gavin’s hands, and tossed it back over his shoulder.

“HEY!”

It sailed backwards perfectly, landing right in the center of the garbage can in the kitchen.

Gavin whistled, “Nice shot, Nines!”

Nines was fuming, but Gavin praised him more, “You should play basketball some time!”

He slammed a hand down on the counter, and it shut Gavin right up as Nines leaned against him and hissed softly, “What are we going to do, Gavin?”

The boy seemed like he didn’t have a care in the world, but his eyes searched the kitchen, as if the answer was there. He finally seemed to have a lightbulb flicker on in his head, and he grinned at Nines, “Just call in to the Main Office, and tell them I’m sick!”

“Gavin, I’m serious-”

The teenager placed a hand on his arm gently, “I swear it’ll work! You can pretend to be my mom’s boyfriend!” He laughed as he blushed, “The school wouldn’t know the difference; she always has a new guy around every month, practically.”

Nines rolled his eyes. This was beyond ludicrous; this was sheer insanity.

He shook his head, “I won’t lie on your behalf, Gavin.”

The boy pouted, “Pleeeaaseee, Nines?”

“No.”

He huffed, but then sat back as he glared down at his lap. It seemed like steam was rising out of his ears and off the top of his head, and the clock on the wall above their heads ticked loudly.

Nines felt his irritation increase and was about to just grab Gavin’s schoolbag and throw it in the back of Abby’s extra vehicle in the garage, when Gavin glanced up and whispered softly at him.

“I’ll do anything you want…”

Nines froze.

Was he serious?

There was something about the tone of Gavin’s voice that deeply troubled and disturbed him, and he glared as he got off the stool.

“You’re horrible to think and say such a thing!”

Gavin stood up, too, “Please Nines! I can’t get in trouble!”

The android placed a hand on his hip, “Maybe you should have thought of that before you-”

Gavin had thrown himself at Nines in an instant. Teeth cut the skin of his lips, and Nines sailed backwards and landed on the kitchen floor with Gavin on top of him. His arms flew to the teen’s neck, carefully cradling him as he allowed Gavin to assault him with very bad ‘kisses’.

To call them ‘kisses’ would be incorrect; the boy was biting and licking Nines’s chin, practically. Nines rolled his eyes as his head snapped back, and he looked up at Gavin resting gently in his lap while he was sprawled on the kitchen floor.

When he hadn’t responded, Gain abruptly broke the kiss and leaned back. His eyes were wide with fear and panic, and his lips were red and wet.

Gavin held a hand up to his mouth as he whispered out, “I’m so sorry, Nines!”

“No, Gavin,” he began softly, and Gavin whined in panic as he turned away while blushing and wearing a hurt, confused expression.

“No…”

Nines reached out for him slowly, but Gavin was already shifting off his lap.

“I’m sorry…”

Nines snatched his wrist in a hand. He yanked the boy back down as he played with a few hair strands, “We don’t kiss like that, Gavin,” he pressed a soft peck on the tip of Gavin’s nose, “we kiss gently, like this…”

He’d meant for it to be a short, chaste kiss, but within a few seconds, that was abandoned and lost. After Nines pressed a few light, butterfly kisses to Gavin’s lips, his eyes shut on their own accord as he slanted his mouth over Gavin’s and kissed him with fervor and vigor running through him.

Gavin kissed back slowly, trying to mimic Nines’ movements and motions before he rested a hand between the android’s legs.

Nines gasped as he broke the kiss and glanced down, “What’re you touching?”

The teen simply frowned at him, “I can do it…”

Nines didn’t follow for a moment, but then Gavin began tugging on his black dress pants, and he’d unzipped the zipper within a few seconds.

“Gavin, don’t-”

He looked at him with conviction, and Nines silenced himself. He felt Gavin sliding a hand down his open dress pants, pushing the flaps apart as his hand simply rested on his underwear. Gavin peeked down and smiled at it, “Black…”

Nines swallowed as he stared up at the teenager in his lap helplessly.

“…suits you.”

He was frozen under whatever spell Gavin had cast on him, and he could only throw his head back and sigh softly when he felt Gavin’s fingers wrapping around his penis.

The teenager gasped, and his eyes went wide as he half-groaned-half-laughed, “Holy fuck, you _do_ have a cock!”

Nines sat up and growled, “Shut up.” He smashed their lips together while he unzipped Gavin’s pants as well, and in no time, he knew what he wanted to do. He hoped he wouldn’t frighten the young teen, but he knew his body was reacting to the weight of Gavin on top of him quickly.

He couldn’t help it.

When his creators had designed and fashioned him, they’d been both cruel and merciful by granting him this. Nines was able to stay away from sexual thoughts and ideas on his own, and up until this point, he’d never been the least bit curious about sex simply due to the fact that he’d been intended to be a weapon; not a lover.

Unfortunately, with the complete package, came ‘sacrifices’. That included looking like a human more than any other android model, in _all_ ways possible. Once or twice when Nines had to attend to cleaning his uniform, he remembered accidentally brushing his genitals, and he found that the smallest touch had driven him insane…

And now?

Now Gavin’s hands were on _everything_ that felt right. It took all the control he had not to buck his hips forward into Gavin’s fingers as he pushed Nines’ pants down with a free hand while pushing his underwear to the side to get a better grip.

“You’re so hard…”

Nines felt his head swooning when Gavin said that, and all he could do was grip the teen’s bicep in a hand while he watched Gavin push down his own shorts, next. They almost came off entirely, and in a hurry, he soon pulled his underwear down, too.

Nines gaped at Gavin’s exposed cock, noticing how a vein there on the side was pulsating. He wanted to reach out and touch it, so he did. He flicked and ran his index finger over it very carefully and gently, and Gavin nearly collapsed in his arms.

He let out a shaky moan as his head rested against the android’s chest. His hips moved forward, seeking out Nines’ for contact.

“Shh,” Nines wrapped a hand around Gavin’s length as he tugged it up and down in the same way he’d seen the boy doing when he pleased himself in the basement a week ago.

“Gavin…”

The boy rested his forehead against Nines’ neck, panting and breathing like he’d been running for at least five solid minutes. His heartbeat was increasing the more Nines touched him, and the android loved that feeling. He needed and wanted more of it, so he chased after that wonderful feeling.

His fingers rubbed around the smooth head of the boy’s cock, and suddenly, Gavin gasped as he reared up, and their exposed cocks accidentally brushed against each other…

Nines peered down and only then noticed that his own arousal had been forgotten as he pursued the goal of making Gavin feel really damn good. However, the moment Gavin’s weeping cock slid against his own, Nines immediately felt pleasure numbing him.

He paused for a moment, and they both hissed out and shook against each other. Gavin clung desperately to Nines as he slid his cock back and forth and then up and down over Nines’. The android’s system alerted to him that he was going to react in the way a male would, and his cock began leaking as it grew heavier with need and want. Nines followed the motions Gavin initiated, and they began rutting against each other as Nines helped Gavin get closer.

They sat before each other, and as Nines began stroking Gavin a little faster, Gavin panted into the crook of his neck.

Nines moved back a little, hand still on Gavin’s hard cock, “Hold them together, like this…” he breathed out sensually and hotly as he watched Gavin summon up enough strength as he held out his hand between their bodies. Nines took control over the rest, and he placed his hand overtop of Gavin’s as he helped the teen slide and wrap his hand around both their erect cocks and begin stroking them together.

He was amazed and gaping in wonder at how small Gavin’s hand seemed beneath his. The difference was interesting, and so was the size of Gavin’s cock in comparison to his own. Gavin had to practically lean up into Nines’ hand to almost be at level with his huge length, and Nines snickered softly as he kissed the top of the boy’s head. He loved how much of an effort Gavin was putting into this…

Every thrust was met with a counterthrust, and the rhythm was off, but Nines didn’t mind. He knew Gavin was close every time he helped twist the boy’s hand around the tip of their cocks. He wanted to try and get the timing right so their orgasms would be simultaneous, but Gavin bit down into his dress shirt as he gasped and then shook as he spurted out streams of cum all over their hands and between their undergarments.

He groaned out what sounded like “Iiiunnnnesss!!” and Nines knew then that he was crying out for him as his cock twitched in response.

Nines fell forward slightly, his hand dropping away from the back of Gavin’s head as he balanced them both on the floor while he looked into Gavin’s eyes. His hand practically jerked Gavin’s roughly now, the boy slowly losing energy and his rhythm as his orgasm dragged out. Nines kept stroking them both, keeping his eyes on Gavin’s facial expressions that rapidly changed by the second.

“Wait, Gavin!”

The cock pressed against his own twitched one more time before a few more drops spilled forth from the slit. Nines didn’t blink as he watched it all, and he saw his own release starting. He coated their hands in his own version of ‘cum’, which consisted of a strange substance that while resembling water, smelled like a strong chemical almost akin to a cleaning product.

Nines hoped it wouldn’t bother Gavin, but the boy seemed so far gone in the throes of his own mind-blowing orgasm that he threw his head back and slammed his hips forward one last time over the android’s.

He would be lying if he said he didn’t find his release in the way Gavin’s bones felt against his build. Nines slammed his free hand down over Gavin’s shoulder before sliding it up to grip the back of his head as he yanked his head forward and gave him a deep kiss. The moment his own orgasm was drawing to an end, he slipped his tongue inside the boy’s mouth, and Gavin’s tongue met his eagerly and excitedly.

They moaned against each other for a moment before Gavin practically fainted into Nines’ chest while breathing softly through his nose and open mouth. Nines wrapped a hand around his back as he cradled the young teenager to his chest.

He pressed a soft kiss to the boy’s burning forehead as he smiled. His eyes closed as he felt nothing but happiness, joy, and content coursing through him.

Gavin’s heartbeat was slowly coming down to regular, and all Nines had to say as he sat with the boy in his lap all wet, sticky, hot, and like jelly was: “Wow…”

“Yeah…”

“Wow.”

He couldn’t help but repeat himself as he looked at their clasped hands once Gavin shifted, and their limbs came away from their now flaccid penises. Their hands and fingers glistened with the aftermath of their immense pleasure, and Nines smiled at it.

Nines wanted to see this happen again, and again, and again…

It still wouldn’t be enough for him, then.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines carried Gavin up to his room after cleaning up in the kitchen, gently laying him on his bed. He brought over a warm, wet cloth from the second-floor bathroom and was in the midst of cleaning Gavin when the teenager smirked at him with a satisfied, complacent expression on his face.

“What’re you staring at me like that, for?” Nines spoke gently as he cleaned off Gavin’s stomach and hand with the cloth, tenderly caressing his skin as he pushed his shirt up.

“I should skip class and do this more often…”

Nines pinched Gavin’s arm for saying that, and he groused as he threw a pillow at Nines.

The android was already feeling horribly; after he’d made sure Gavin was in his bed, he’d contacted the school and told them he was Gavin’s temporary guardian, and Gavin wouldn’t be able to attend his classes due to having a ‘fever’. He’d never lied before, and he didn’t know how he felt about it as he stared at the teenager’s bellybutton as he finished cleaning him off.

Nines tossed the cloth into the dirty hamper a few inches away from the bed as he stared down at Gavin. Their eyes met, and Gavin winked at him as he chuckled, “Wanna lie down here beside me for a bit?”

Nines rolled his eyes, “You’re incorrigible, you’re a brat, you’re nothing but trouble, and you’re a pain in the neck.”

“Hehe,” the teenager chuckled as he stretched, and the gesture caused his stomach to be revealed even more, “thanksies for that, Nines.”

The android felt Gavin tugging on his rolled-up shirt sleeves, and he stared intently into the blue depths that consumed him.

“What’re you doing to me?” He’d whispered it softly, but the teen somehow heard it. He tilted his head at Nines while raising an eyebrow.

“I’m just tryin’ to get you to lie down for a sec, Nines, chill!”

That’s not now he meant the question to be interpreted and answered, but Nines sighed as he propped a pillow beside the one Gavin’s head was resting on, and he lay on his side as he curiously gazed at the teenager currently resting on his back.

Gavin turned his neck over to face Nines, and he gave him a warm smile.

Nines extended a hand, and his index finger poked Gavin in the center of his stomach gently, “I can see your belly.”

A snicker hit his ears, “Do you like it?” Gavin shifted and clenched his muscles, “I’m tryin’ to get some abs down there!”

Nines slapped his stomach, but not roughly, “In your dreams, Gavin.”

The boy blew cold air in his face, and it brushed the loose strand that always hung down over his forehead back a little. Nines smirked as he poked Gavin’s stomach again.

The teenager suddenly looked up at the ceiling as he breathed deeply and hummed to himself. Nines knew the wheels in his head were turning, and his curiosity burned up within himself.

“What’re you thinking about, Gavin?”

He propped an arm beside his cheek, leaning up as he studied the teen carefully. He didn’t want to look away in case he missed something. Any minor detail was worth the world to Nines, and he didn’t want to let anything skip over him as he stared at Gavin for many long minutes.

Gavin shrugged, finally, and smiled at the ceiling, “I was thinkin’ of gettin’ a tattoo, Nines…”

Clouds formed in the android’s eyes, and they were dark, grey clouds. He frowned deeply at Gavin in disapproval, “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Gavin.”

The teenager ignored the honesty coming from the android beside him, “I’ve been wantin’ one forever!”

“I don’t think your mother would approve.”

The teen blew a raspberry in retaliation. Nines rolled his eyes, and Gavin curled his toes while sticking his tongue out, “My dad says I can get one for my sixteenth birthday!”

Nines wanted to cringe and cry out in anger. Sometimes, whatever bits of information he received regarding Allen Reed really sent him on the edge of anger. It seemed like anything the mysterious father did for Gavin wasn’t really in the boy’s best interest; it merely appeased him at the time in lieu of whatever his young, impressionable mind thought and supposed was ‘cool’ and acceptable. Nines had a good feeling that the boy would grow older and have nothing but regrets if he let his father just give him everything he wanted.

But it wasn’t his place to say…

He wasn’t Gavin’s father, or step-father…he wasn’t even really ‘family’.

He had no place to say a word or to judge, so all he did was feign interest in the topic as he watched the teenager yank his shirt down and cover his stomach, finally.

“Where did you want to place the tattoo?” His question was genuine, and the teenager hummed as he turned slightly towards him.

“Umm, I don’t know…” he snickered, “I was thinkin’ maybe on my ass?”

Nines frowned, “Gavin…”

Laughter cut into the air as Gavin rolled into Nines and placed his hands over the android’s, “I’m serious!!” he giggled again, “I should totally get a snake or an alligator on my ass!”

Nines sighed, “Why don’t you just get a butterfly too, while you’re at it?”

The boy suddenly gasped, and his eyes were wide as he nodded slowly, “Niiiines!!!” he slapped a hand over the android’s cheek, and Nines scowled at him as he turned his head upwards and away from Gavin’s hands.

“—dude! I should _totally_ get the butterfly like _right_ in the center of my ass where the crack is, and then I can have one wing draped over my left check, and the other on my right one!”

Nines gave him a blank look, “Charming.”

“It’s _perfect_!!!”

The young boy really had some delusions if he thought that having a butterfly on his ass constituted as ‘perfect’, but Nines didn’t want to argue with him. He instead wanted to distract Gavin from the idea or thought of getting a tattoo, so he leaned in close to the boy beside him as he smirked at him with a playful look in his eyes.

“I think you should focus on working on your scrawny body first, however,” Nines whispered as he relished in the way his words immediately got to Gavin’s ego. The teenager whipped his head around and frowned at Nines with deep anger.

“Screw you, Nines!” he shoved the android in the chest, “I’m pretty fit!”

“Scrawny.”

The adolescent snarled, “Piss off!”

Nines smiled happily, “Hmm?” He reached out and shoved Gavin back in the exact same spot he’d shoved him, and Gavin fell against another pillow resting behind him.

“Oooh! A point for me, I think!” the android snickered as he clapped for himself, but Gavin was back in front of him with his eyes glimmering dangerously.

He hissed, “You’re a cheater, Nines! You used your android strength against me!”

Nines shook his head, “Didn’t I show you who won?” He pointed at himself with pride and honor, “I won, yeah? Uncle Nines wooonnnn.” He stretched out the last word for dramatic effect, and Gavin broke into a grin as he climbed on top of Nines and gripped his cheeks in his hands.

“I’ll show you scrawny…”

Warm lips captured his again, and Nines saw blackness as he closed his eyes and just surrendered to the pleasure and sweet ecstasy Gavin brought him.

Perhaps they had to stop at some point, but for now, he was going to take anything the teenager had to offer him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOOYAAAA  
> Points to me for working in Gavin's lines from the game into this! I know he originally said all those lines to Connor, but shushie 🌹💕


	10. This Matter of Lust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING! GRAPHIC (LIKE SUPER, DUPER GRAPHIC) SEXUAL CONTENT!!!*

It had rained harshly for the next few days. The wind accompanied the rain, and it was a howling beast of a monster. It shook the house and rattled the doors, and it was horrifying to feel and hear. However, as evil and scary as the wind sounded in the house, it shed some light on the fact that Gavin’s bedroom window’s screws and hinges were coming loose.

The glass rattled and shook as the wind blew against it, and it let out horrible noises throughout the house. Gavin didn’t care about it much, but it got on Abby’s nerves within a day.

She’d asked Nines and Gavin to repair the window as the storm brewed outside. It was a random task Nines didn’t want to do, but when he heard that Abby had to help a neighbor lady named ‘Shelly’ bake three dozen cookies for a housewarming party, he was leaping out of his skin practically when he knew he could be alone with Gavin.

True, he had to ‘watch over him’ as he nailed his window shut, but Nines wasn’t interested in just ‘watching over’ Gavin only…

He’d followed the adolescent up to his room as the dark clouds outside blew by above in the sky, and Abby was already out the door over to the neighbors within a few moments. She sped through the deep puddles gathering on the pavement and in the lawn as she tried keeping out of the rain, and she was soon indoors with Shelly, helping her as long as it took.

Out of sight, out of mind…

Nines procured a hammer, nails, and a wrench from the toolbox in the garage as he then allowed Gavin to stand by his window while struggling with the loose nails and boards around the windowsill.

Great.

The android watched the boy as he literally engaged in a battle with the tools. He slammed them down on the desk by his windowsill, swearing and muttering under his breath when he tried yanking the window open.

He looked so funny as every time he opened the window, his white shirt and loose jeans kept getting more and more soaked until they clung tightly to his body.

It was one of those windows that had to be yanked and pushed upwards, and then locked into place. The wind kept yanking it down, and when Gavin barely slid the window open a crack, the wind and wet, cold rain poured in, shoving him out of the way as the window slammed down again.

“FUCK!!!” Gavin hissed as he leapt back, snatching his fingers away from being crushed between the windowsill and the bottom of the window pane itself.

Nines repressed a laugh as he leaned against a wall and observed Gavin attempt the task again.

Gavin approached the window with caution as the rain splashed against the glass. When he’d managed to get a good distance closer, Gavin wedged his fingers beneath the window and grunted as he slid it open slowly. He soon spotted the narrow opening and thought it might provide a safe time and place to begin wedging himself in between the bottom and the windowsill so he could create more room to work. The metal sliding was open just enough that he could squeeze through; it was a perfect plan.

Breathing softly and trying to keep quiet so the android behind him wouldn’t mock him, Gavin shoved at the metal gate and pushed it up, but it didn’t budge more than an inch. It likely had a few gears or whatever stuck, but he didn’t have time to waste. His mother didn’t want to hire a professional to look at it. How cheap!

Angry as he was, Gavin pulled himself up and crawled through the opening, heart beating a mile a minute. Setting his tools down on the desk directly beside him now, he reached out and grabbed the ledge to pull himself the rest of the way through, eager to make more room so he could provide decent working space, but so that he could also test whether the window would slide up and down well enough to begin with.

Suddenly, the window above him gave way in the middle of his feeble attempt towards sliding it open more, and it pushed down on his back and shoulders. Something audibly ‘clicked’, and Gavin then knew the window had locked into place.

Those damn ‘child safety protection locks’…

It was a natural mechanism the window came with, and now he was effectively trapped.

Great.

His eyes widened when he found himself unable to move further. With the angle of the metal window and how it had been positioned, Gavin didn’t have enough room to wiggle his hips past. He reached back to shove at the gate, gritting his teeth when it refused to move even the slightest bit.

His hair was drenched and soaked, and he was freezing as the wind blew by, as if stopping to poke fun at him and his plight.

He would have wedged himself back out, until he heard the incessant, obnoxious sounds of Nines laughing. The android laughed like he never had before. He was bent over and practically on the floor as he shook and trembled while he drowned himself in his own boisterous laughter.

Not finding any of it funny at all, Gavin tried moving so he could be freed of his sticky situation, and so he could tackle Nines down to the floor and bite his nose. Turning around proved useless, and he couldn’t see much of anything behind him or what was going on. A cold chill went through him at his predicament. He was stuck in window, unable to defend himself from the rain, the cold, and lightning...

“You could fucking help me!!” he shouted at Nines, but the android merely laughed even louder and harder before his laughter died down, suddenly.

“Such a foul mouth,” the words flew and caressed at his back, and Gavin felt his panic increase. He squirmed against the metal gate, thrashing to weasel himself out. That voice was the sound of Nines enjoying himself as he approached Gavin. Lust was then in his voice, and it was unmistakable. “I’ll have to fix that…”

“…Nines?” Gavin called out, and Nines’s thirium was on fire as he saw the adolescent twitch his hips while his ass already was pert in the air perfectly.

Nines continued his approach, steps coming close to the gated window. “Oh my, you’ve gotten yourself stuck…” The grin and smirk was even evident in his voice, “Allow me to help you…”

“N-no!” Gavin stammered, kicking his legs and slamming one hand back against the metal gate, attempting to twist onto his back to better defend himself. “Don’t tease me when I’m like this!”

He somehow knew what the android was going to do, and as perverted as it had been lately, Gavin expected it from him. Nothing more, nothing less. He just didn’t need that right _now_ , of all times…

He felt a strong hand grab the back of one leg and shove it at an angle, making room for the tall android to stand between Gavin’s legs. Next, there were hands on his hips, gripping him in preparation to pull back. Out of instinct to get away, Gavin gripped the desk and refused to be yanked out. Maybe it was better to be stuck in the rain…should he call for help?

Nines suddenly kissed the back of his neck, and Gavin’s eyes rolled up as he shivered in both anticipation, and from the cold.

With how gently Nines was handling him, he was growing relaxed and more at ease…

Perhaps this was more than what he needed…

“Goodness!” Nines exclaimed, sounding mildly amused when he stopped pulling on Gavin’s hips. He began stroking the teen’s back gently, “You’re pretty stuck. What am I going to do with you?”

Gavin felt his stomach tossing from side to side, hoping he could inch his way back just to loop his arms around Nines once. He needed touching, more than anything else.

Whimpering, he struggled, eager to have his own fingers digging in Nines’s hair. He was making some progress, at least that’s what it felt like before Nines’ hold on his hips brought him right back to square one. He tried to kick somehow, for all the good it did it.

“Nines…” he begged as he nearly banged his head against the bottom of the window.

“Darling, stop your squirming,” the android gently demanded, hands sliding far too intimately around Gavin’s hips, moving to feel the front of his thighs. “…or did you intend for me to find you this way?”

That wasn’t the case, but when the rain slowly began dying down, Gavin felt more relaxed as he sighed in relief. He sometimes absolutely adored the way Nines was such a huge tease.

Nines gripped his shirt and tugged it upwards, kissing his back and spine. This was so good, but so much of a tease when the android’s tongue darted out to trail from the top of his spine all the way down to his lower back. He could barely move forward, and being pulled back and forth between wanting to break out of the window seemed like a good option.

“Nines!” Gavin hissed as he shivered, “this is the very definition of being stuck between a rock and a hard place…”

“Hmm,” the android suddenly slammed his front against the teen’s ass, and there was _most definitely_ something hard felt there between his legs.

Gavin cried out in a wanton plea.

“I see what you’re up to,” Nines heard himself say, and his voice sounded far too pleased. Nines felt a wave of raw desire assault his tongue when he licked a small stripe down Gavin’s neck. His hands felt over his ass, making the teenager tense up.

“Come on, Nines!” he growled. “Touch me _after_ you help me get back in the room!!”

“I do love it when you act coy,” the android found himself replying, his touch remaining right where it was. “Gifting yourself to me like this…”

“Please!” Gavin interrupted, his words coming out of a dry throat. He tried squirming again, and a delicious shiver left him when Nines’ fingers felt their way along between his open thighs.

“Don’t stop!” Those large hands obeyed, and it drove the adolescent wild with a heated frenzy.

“Don’t move too much, Gavin.”

Gavin froze when he heard cloth tearing.

He felt the android’s fingernails scraping against his tailbone, followed by more sounds of tearing. Gavin whimpered in realization of what was being done to his clothing. Nines was cutting and tearing his shirt apart, his jeans were shoved down to his ankles, and his undershirt was yanked open. Gavin was going to be made naked and-

“Ahh! It’s c-cold!” he begged. He was reaching for the ledge of the desk again, pulling himself forward. He ignored the protest his hips gave against the edge of the window gate, and he lightly kicked to help himself a little more while the wind blew back his frozen, cold hair. “Bring me inside my room, p-please!”

“Darling, what did I tell you about struggling?” Nines questioned, patting Gavin’s ass right after as he hummed in amusement, “you’re upsetting me…

Gavin’s spine tensed and he shouted with a mixture of pain and pleasure as what felt like fire streaked across his back in a single, hot line. Something tickled down his side, and he realized that Nines had sank his teeth in the center of his back. Saliva and sweat began dripping from his mouth, no doubt. Trying to silence himself from crying out into the streets down below, Gavin relaxed with a muffled grunt, shivering when he felt fingers trail over the split-slicked areas of his back while the sky grew a little darker above. Nines bent over him, and Gavin hissed as a warm tongue licked over his neck.

Fuck…

“Please…” Gavin begged, tensing with each flick of the android’s tongue. “Please more…it’s…yesss!!!”

There was one last slow lick, and Gavin tried to curl up to brace himself, but of course it was a wasted effort. There was the cold chill of the wind blowing and breezing right where Nines had licked him, and the android began pressing against his lower body. It drew a whimper out of the teenager.

Nines merely chuckled.

“Be a good boy,” Nines said. “Now hold still.”

Nodding, Gavin agreed, but he realized Nines probably couldn’t see the confirming gesture, and he repeated his answer vocally, “I won’t m-move.”

Whatever Nines was going to do to him, Gavin prayed it would be pleasurable, but also nothing too embarrassing should a neighbor decide to walk or jog in the light rain. After everything he had experienced so far in his sexuality, he was sure he couldn’t handle this type of embarrassment. He wanted to get out, and he wanted to burn his flesh against Nines’ as they clung to each other desperately on his bed.

His clothes were torn just to expose his body completely, and the minimal amount of skin that became exposed to the outside world in front of him gave Gavin a chill of cool air over sensitive skin. Nines seemed to be quietly examining him, a single wandering digit gliding down along Gavin’s spine and over his tailbone, down to more private areas that made him involuntarily tense up. He wanted to be touched there, but the light press of the android’s thick, heavy cock behind his ass reminded him to be complacent, and he relaxed as best as he could before Nines decided to ‘punish’ him or deny him pleasure.

Nines hummed a strange tune the teenager didn’t recognize, and Gavin grit his teeth, trying to think and place himself in a more ‘private’ context so he could enjoy this fully. The other man’s fingers pressed against his scrotum, under the base of his limp cock, and Gavin heard a wanton noise escape from Nines.

Those same fingers dipped against Gavin’s opening, and Gavin’s stomach muscles clenched as he fought the urge to scream out already. He hated his body for being so needy. There was no way he was going to cum just from a touch! No way!!

Nervous sweat broke out over his skin, and he shook his head, lightly kicking the wall in meek protest. The fingers weren’t pushing in at all, but the prodding...

Sensing Gavin holding back, Nines slapped his ass with an open palm, the angry sting of the harsh blow making Gavin’s entire body twitch in his confined spot, a confused wail leaving his mouth. Nines sighed a loud and exaggerated sound like a disappointed parent about ready to scold their child.

“Didn’t I tell you to hold still?”

Another swat, this one just as intense as the first, and Gavin was gripping the windowsill again and wriggling to get rub his ass against the android’s cock. Nines’s hands groped him then, and the friction burned coupled with his sweat.

“Stop teasing me!!”

Deep, foreboding laughter sounded behind Gavin, beyond the metal of the window separating him from Nines. Strong hands gripped him hard, fingers digging into his flesh, and Gavin bit the inside of his cheek to ignore the dull agony that he felt from it. He was so fucking sick of this teasing, and he hated himself for getting into this mess to begin with.

All at once his body sagged, showing his defeat, and he was lucky to be rewarded by Nines’ touch now massaging and rubbing his sore ass.

“Are you going to behave, my love?”

Gavin didn’t move. He sniffled quietly, brow furrowing in anger that he had tears forming in his eyes. This android was going to kill him with sex. He wasn’t sure how it was possible, but he surely felt like this was happening.

Nines’ hands slid down over the backs of his thighs again, and Gavin tried to ignore his cock jutting against the bottom of his abdomen as it nearly pressed against the ledge of the windowsill, now. He let the android do as he pleased. Cooperating silently was the best chance he had of being able to cum.

“Ah… good boy,” Nines’ voice turned husky again. Those hands returned to his abused cheeks, holding them apart and exposing Gavin’s opening. Fuck it. Gavin didn’t care anymore.

He couldn’t hold back a moan when the warm air of his room circled his entrance, and he moaned down into the yards and streets below the house.

“…You’ll enjoy this, I’m sure.”

Whatever Nines had planned, it involved him prying Gavin’s ass open as much as possible. There was a fierce burn of humiliation that colored the teen’s face red, and a sharp sting of pain came along with it as he bit his cheek harder.

A pleased hum sounded in Nines’ throat, a strange sound, while a thumb was ghosting over Gavin’s entrance and making his body twitch like a cord being plucked. He hated that he loved this. He was going to explode all over the walls and windowsill within seconds!

“You’re so pink here, my love,” Nines commented, making Gavin clench his eyes shut with embarrassment. “Pink and lovely.”

Gavin’s breathing picked up, a panicked wheeze exiting his throat. Nines’ thumb brushed over his asshole again, teasingly. Gavin cringed; anything that felt like pleasure made him want to scream. He couldn’t…he couldn’t stand not being able to look into the blue eyes of the android. He wanted to touch him, kiss him, pull on his hair…

“I wonder how you’ll taste?”

Before Gavin could begin to process that thought, the floorboards on the other side of the window creaked, and a heated puff of Nines’ breath warmed his private parts. The teenager tensed too late, his thrashing too delayed when he felt something hot and wet flick over his opening that caused a sinful chill of mixed pleasure to ride up his spine. A tortured and confused noise escaped him, fingers clenching so hard that his palms hurt as blunt nails dug in. His legs had tensed so fiercely they felt like they were cramping now.

Nines’ mouth latched onto a random area of flesh next to the end of his spine, the android biting him playfully as those strong hands parted his cheeks again, and another amused laugh sounded from deep within the android’s wide, broad chest.

“You like that, darling?”

Gavin was at a complete loss for words, but he tried speaking, and it came out in throaty, sensual moans. He was shocked from it, but he knew Nines wanted it repeated. He cleared his throat, trying desperately to speak, but Nines wasn’t waiting for an answer.

The same sensation came again, slower this time, a wet trail making its way from the back of Gavin’s sac and over his hole again, ending right at his tailbone. Something like a strangled moan left Gavin, and he slammed his hands against the windowsill and then to the sides of the desk near him. He was in a world of blissful lust. He couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t fucking believe his body was so weak that his cock throbbed and was about to release already.

“Wait,” he gasped, failing at sounding like this was the final straw. “I don’t… just don’t stop, I can’t…”

It happened again, the exact same touch, and Gavin’s eyes closed in frustration when another pulse of electric-like euphoria traveled through his veins. He lightly kicked, shaking his head again and refusing to take any more of this unless Nines pulled him inside the room.

And then, Nines’ tongue twisted against his opening, barely wriggling inward, into him, and Gavin arched back against the window with another helpless murmur of discomfort. He was pushing against the wall and windowsill, straining, trying to pull himself forward and away from that hot mouth and wandering tongue. He couldn’t get away.

Bowing his head, Gavin panted when those sensations flooded his system without warning. Nines was gently lapping at his asshole, and the gentleness of it was probably what coaxed his cock into feeling like it was going to burst. He knew it was too soon, but it felt good. His body had been through so much pain, so much exhaustion from struggling with the damn window; it was almost as if his body was now craving for something as sweet as this, no matter what horrible circumstances came with it regarding being caught or seen.

There was a tightness forming in the front of Gavin, and then a burning sensation hit him. His cock had no more room as it pressed up against the ledge of the windowsill. He realized with complete and utter hatred for himself that his cock was beyond erect now. It twitched as it hid beneath the windowsill, and it pulsed with life during each slow lick of Nines’ tongue.

He swallowed, trying to keep himself from cumming already. Gavin needed a distraction. He needed something-anything to focus on other than the way that velvety tongue slid against his entrance.

He opened his eyes, looking around for something to concentrate on. Colors, corners, anything, vision darting around with increased urgency as he felt Nines change his tactics.

Instead of that slow petting, Nines’ tongue was twirling in circles, and the way it rubbed into him made Gavin start to quiver. The other man’s lips came together in a kiss, and he heard Nines panting as he finally pulled away, palms rubbing Gavin’s ass encouragingly.

“Why did you s-stop?!” He barely got his question out as he tried glaring down at Nines, but his head pressed against the window.

“I can feel you shaking,” Nines told him, making Gavin bite his lip in complete humiliation. A snicker came from the android, “Enjoying the feeling of my tongue so much?”

Gavin nodded frantically, “F-fuck yes.”

He felt his asshole being exposed to the air again, this time making him feel cold from how much of Nines’s saliva covered his skin. Gavin was certain that it had dribbled over his balls, because even that part of him felt somewhat chilled. Nines hummed, extremely pleased with himself. Gavin only prayed he wouldn’t have his stiff cock exploding against the windowsill…not yet…

“Darling…” Nines cooed, as if he were praising the teen. Gavin’s body actually jumped when he felt the next touch; what felt like knuckles brushing the back of his cock. “You’re leaking and dripping so much…”

He heard Nines hiss a sexual noise, and Gavin’s cock bounced slightly from the way Nines’ fingers brushed against it. It had taken him a bit off-guard; the way Nines was so attentive and sensual that he didn’t forget to please him in _all_ manners.

The touch left him, hands holding him open once more, and Gavin cried out when that hot tongue assaulted him again. His eyes rolled back on their own, completely overwhelmed by how good it felt to have that soothing touch rolling against his asshole.

“Yesss…” he whined, shaking his head again regardless if it could be seen. He felt his toes curl as his cock began weeping. Why the fuck was he giving in so easily? It wasn’t like he had a choice in the matter, with his body never having had this, but still!

Would Nines laugh at him for this later?

That was the when the shaking began again, so intense that Gavin could feel it through his entire body. He felt so weak; he couldn’t even hold himself up from the windowsill anymore, and he resolved to lay his forehead and arms against it while he was rimmed.

“Fuck…” he whispered under his breath, choking, and another shiver ran up his back. “God, p-please…”

Nines’ tongue moved in gentle strokes, circling the ring of Gavin’s asshole; kissing in between changing his technique to those teasing licks, like he was licking up a stray speck of ice-cream off a cone. It was torture, and Gavin would kill himself before admitting that it felt so damned good.

His face felt terribly hot. Shit, his whole body did. And it was now that he chose to consciously realize that he was inching his hips back little by little, silently demanding more of Nines’ tongue to roll against his relaxed orifice. He buried his face into his arms, whimpering. He couldn’t believe he was reacting this way.

And, from the way Nines was increasing the pace his tongue moved at, the man must have felt encouraged by Gavin’s submission.

A whine trailed off into a groan when Gavin felt the android’s tongue push into his ass, wriggling with some small measure of ease due to how relaxed the captive teen’s body had become. It pushed in too easily; Gavin tensed up with fear until he felt rough, strong fingers digging into his spread buttocks, which forced him to will away the feeling of disappointment and allow Nines as much room as he needed.

Who the hell was he to stop himself, now?

He was starting to become lost to it now. The gentle back and forth slide of Nines’ tongue, the way it slipped out and soothingly trailed in wide circles, all of it felt relaxing and pleasurable. With each exhale Gavin was letting out a quiet moan, and his cock twitch hungrily while it demanded attention.

Shit, he even caught himself wondering how Nines’ lips would feel sucking the head of his dick. He quickly let the thought go because it almost made him shoot, but the small image alone sent a sharp spike of arousal to lance through him. And again, his body trembled, squeezing his eyes shut when he felt the other man’s tongue dart inside of him again, dipping into the forbidden recesses of his body and driving him further into madness.

Gavin’s toes curled again, and he groaned loudly when he noticed what felt like a premature orgasm shoot through him, bringing with it that intense flutter of heat right between his legs. Had Nines made him come already? That…no…

No, he could still feel his cock, harder than ever, twitching against the now cold and wet puddle of the water that had gathered all over the white windowsill. Gavin stared off in shock, confused about what he’d felt, when he felt it again as Nines’ tongue pushed into him, twisting inside of him as far as it could reach.

When the sensation repeated, harder this time, Gavin arched back and cried out with want. He felt good, unbelievably good, and he felt so close to release. He didn’t even know it was possible to get this hard from something like…this.

“Oh God…” he whispered, speaking below his breath, terrified to be heard.

Nines’s tongue trailed out, circling slow, counterclockwise around the rim of his entrance. Gavin pressed back as far as his hips would allow, taking in sharp breaths and focusing on that sensation pulsing through his cock.

As the flat of Nines’ tongue licked over Gavin’s thoroughly relaxed opening, Gavin arched against the metal window holding him captive, thighs tensing, and he almost cried with a broken sob when the android’s tongue pushed inside again. That was the last thing Gavin remembered focusing on before his orgasm hit him, with swift and mind-numbing intensity and a helpless moan that tore itself straight from his chest.

Everything was twitching, alive with vivid ecstasy that scorched deep into his very being. He clutched the windowsill ledge, and his cock shot little bursts of cum against his walls, twitching powerfully enough that even through this fog of bliss Gavin was very much aware of it. He was nearly convulsing from how thoroughly this orgasm had wracked his body, spasming from his shoulders to his feet. Even his asshole was throbbing, and he knew this only because Nines’ tongue was still very much pressed inside of it.

He came down from his little high slowly, and with that, came the crushing shame of what had just transpired. Nines’ tongue circled his opening one last time before he withdrew, breathing like he’d run a marathon. There was a bit of heavy petting over the span of Gavin’s backside, and then he felt Nines retreat from between his legs. Gavin wasn’t moving; his entire body felt like jelly at the moment.

“That was beautiful of you, darling,” Nines told him, one last fleeting touch moving possessively down Gavin’s thigh.

The teen grunted when he felt cold, sticky substances clinging and dripping down the walls and onto his bare thighs.

He held his head down as he checked to see if anyone in the streets below had either heard them or seen them. The coast seemed clear enough, and he threw his head back as far as it would go before it banged against the bottom of the window.

“Can I fuckin’ get out of here, now?” He was unable to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

The android hummed, “You stay right there. I’ll be back shortly to help you out of there.”

Gavin nearly collapsed against the wall and window, “Fuckin’ great.”

Altogether, he found he didn’t mind watching and listening to the rain while Nines began gently getting tools together as he pried the window apart piece-by-piece and finally collected the teenager to his strong chest.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

They’d mostly kept to themselves for the rest of the week, and Nines made sure that Gavin studied for his English exam the following day after they lounged around in Gavin’s bed until Abby arrived home.

The matriarch of the family didn’t sense anything odd going on between her son and her household assistant android, but she did comment that she was pleased to see the two of them sticking together a lot, recently.

It wasn’t exactly an incorrect thing to point out; Nines just wished he wasn’t so obvious in case by some odd chance she did in fact catch onto their romance. He pulled back on the reigns right away, trying to really go out of his way and do more work around the house instead of hanging around Gavin.

Within a day, he was out of his mind and bored.

He just wanted to speak with Gavin.

The young man was enough fuel for him to get him through the entire week, but now that Abby pointed out how often she’d seen them together, Nines didn’t want to risk it. He was well aware that the first moment he’d even laid a finger on the teenager, he’d committed a crime.

He didn’t want her scrutiny, and he didn’t want to face the consequences. He knew he’d never be exempt from her scorn if she found out, but he didn’t want to end things with Gavin either for that matter...not when everything seemed so… _right_ …

As far as he was concerned, it seemed like the teenager wanted it as much as he did, and the way Gavin behaved for the following week seemed to prove that.

Every so often, when Nines was busy with something and when he thought he was alone, he would feel someone grabbing at his ass before he turned around and caught the hoodie of Gavin’s sweater retreating out of the room he was in.

Other times, Gavin would lick and suck on his utensils suggestively while staring dead-on at Nines after making sure his mother was either on the phone, busy eating her own meal, or paying attention to her hair or nails…

It was driving Nines insane, and the very definition of ‘insanity’ was how he felt, currently. There wasn’t a lot he could do, however, and he had to remain a ‘silent’ observer as Gavin caught up with his studies, finished his exams, hung out with his friends, and did other things teenagers would normally do.

Time passed easily enough, and as soon as Nines had grown accustomed to keeping his distance, Abby delivered the worst news on a Friday morning after Gavin had gone to school.

She was calculating and going through her savings and expenses at the kitchen table when Nines stepped in from the garage. She was wearing blue-framed glasses, and she took them off and greeted him with a warm, gentle smile when he sat down in front of her at the table.

Nines sensed something was off when she set aside her receipts, transactions, calculator, phone, pens, and notebook. She folded her glasses and put them back in their case as she played with her long brown hair.

“Gavin’s going to spend the weekend with his father.”

Nines felt like he wanted to stand up, grab the chair he was currently sitting on, and throw it out the large kitchen windows. The absentee father suddenly was in the picture now?! Why?! After almost three weeks of living with the Reeds, and _now_ Gavin had to go see his father?

No way.

Not in his book.

Already, ideas were forming in his mind, but Nines kept his composure calm and tranquil as he crossed a leg over the other and smiled at Abby.

She winked at him, “I think this is good for us, Nines…” she licked her lower lip, “it’ll finally give us some time alone…”

His smile fell.

“Abby,” he began in a soft, sincere tone while reaching across the table. A part of him knew Gavin was likely going to detest him and hate him for the rest of his young adult life for what he was about to do, but Nines was selfish, possessive, and he didn’t want to spend a weekend without the boy in his arms, pressed against his chest.

He _needed_ Gavin. He _wanted_ Gavin, and he wasn’t going to allow the boy to wander out of his sight and be ‘corrupted’ by his tasteless, mindless, irresponsible, and morally bankrupt father.

No.

Not when they’d made so much progress together, experienced together, talked together, and studied together. Not when Gavin was actually attending classes, participating in his education, staying out of fights and trouble.

No.

Abby raised a thin eyebrow, “Nines? You look troubled!”

He was.

He sat up and retracted his hand when she clung to it. She looked hurt, but he held up his hand as he scolded himself for being so impulsive.

“I apologize, Abby,” he felt his insides about to burst in disgust, but he leaned forward closer and took her hands in both of his own. His thumbs stroked the back of her hands, and she gave him a content, dreamy gaze while he forced himself to smile into her eyes.

This was excruciating.

He hated himself so much more for this as he took a breath, “I don’t mean to interfere in these matters, Abby…”

She immediately interrupted, “No Nines! You’re one of the ‘family’, now!” she blushed as she rubbed her cheek against his hand, and as she closed her eyes, she missed the look of pain and displeasure that was etched on his face.

“Just tell me what’s on your mind, Nines…”

He bit his tongue. He had a chance to stop himself, but he couldn’t. He wanted to protect Gavin, shield him, but he also wanted Gavin _only_ for himself.

Nines whispered down at Abby, “Gavin’s father is going to allow him to get a tattoo.”

Her eyelids flew open, then, and the green depths practically swallowed Nines into their centers as her mouth fell open and a strained cry escaped from her.

“What…”

Nines gave her a single nod, “I’m sorry, Abby,” he looked seriously at her, “Gavin admitted it to me a day ago, and it wouldn’t be right for me to keep it from you.”

As she dropped her hands away from his, a flurry of muffled sounds of protest, cries of anger, malcontent, and other screams of distress escaped her. Standing up abruptly, she left the kitchen, and Nines sighed softly.

He looked at the clean surface of the table as he felt a heavy feeling of guilt and regret washing over him.

“Forgive me, Gavin…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nines!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!!!!!!!!! 😥😫😫😫😫😑😑😑😠


	11. Crossing the Line

Abby pointed a shaky finger at Nines as she hurriedly dialed her ex-husband’s number. A simple scan of the phone and the woman holding onto it for dear life told Nines everything; she was going to confront her ex-husband once and for all while Nines sat at the kitchen table, following and tracing her every move.

She paced back and forth, rubbing the back of her neck as the phone rang and rang and rang…

Abby looked down at Nines, “I’m going to get Gavin from school today, Nines,” she yanked a few strands of her hair in desperation, her eyes pained and troubled, “I need to have a long chat with him!”

The android didn’t comment; doing so would be very foolish right now on his part. He’d been the one who caused this mess in the first place, and it was wiser to shut up when a stressed woman was inches away from having a nervous breakdown.

His eyes continued to follow Abby, and she growled out: “ALLEN! PICK UP!!!”

Like magic, a gruff, male voice sounded from the other end of the line, “Hello?”

Abby visibly stiffened. It was as if someone had placed a spell on her or hexed her; she went rigid, her back bones cracking, and her neck did as well. She clenched her fist that wasn’t holding the phone at her side, and she trembled for a moment before her eyes narrowed into little slits.

She hardly looked like herself as she stood like that, and Nines gaped at her, feeling absolutely astounded. This Abby Reed standing in the kitchen was hardly a thing like the Abby Reed he’d known since she’d stood before him in the CyberLife store…

It was truly amazing to see the effect her ex-husband had on her, just by his voice alone…

She clenched her teeth and ground out: “Allen, you son of a bitch…”

Nines couldn’t keep his curiosity out of the situation. He knew that any decent human being-or android-would have left the room and would have enough respect for this woman to hash stuff out with her ex. Anyone else would have given her the privacy she deserved, but Nines didn’t. He zoned in on their conversation, silently hacking Abby’s phone as his LED light turned yellow and he was able to ‘spy’ in on her conversation within a minute of the phone connecting to the Wi-Fi of the house. He quickly connected to it, as well, and once they were on the same network, he was able to sit back and listen to their conversation.

He found that Allen Reed had a very thick, hoarse voice, and he sounded somewhat…drunk? Under some influence? Nines couldn’t place his finger on it exactly, but Allen Reed’s words were sloppy, like mush, and he was slurring them together. In the background, there was a lot of noise and interference, and Nines supposed he was either surrounded by many people, at a party, or perhaps at work?

But where did he work?

As he closed his eyes and turned his head around while pretending not to be listening in on them, Nines heard machines whirring and plenty of buzzing and beeping sounds…

Perhaps Allen Reed worked in a factory?

It was the best guess he had at the moment, and he quickly focused on the words exchanged by them, now.

“What do you want, Abby?” his angry tone of voice spat out at her, “did you just interrupt me at work to call me a ‘bastard’?”

She immediately seized up, and Nines was positive her blood was pumping through her body far too quickly, now, “Do you think I’m stupid?!?” she shrieked into the receiver, and her ex-husband growled as he snorted afterwards.

“You’re so fuckin’ loud…”

_I suppose that’s where Gavin gets the ability to curse from._

As he listened on, Nines grew more curious and interested in Allen Reed, but it wasn’t in any respectable way. He had already decided that this was a very contemptible, malicious, horrible human being. This was _not_ a virtuous man speaking with the mother of his son…no, not at all.

Allen growled as voices in the back called him, “I’d like to get back to work, Abby.”

She laughed drily, “How’s the factory life anyway?”

“Fuck you.”

“You can only wish, Allen!!” she screeched, and he whistled sarcastically.

“Sorry babe,” he snickered coldly, “but you’re a little up there in years for me…”

Immediately, she exploded like a volcanic eruption, “That’s because you were chasing girls who were born in the same year they invented the iPhone, you pig!!”

Nines felt a hundred questions running through him. A logical, educated guess told him that perhaps Allen Reed was an adulterous man…but had that really been the reason their marriage fell apart? Again, why was it his business?!?

“They’re buzzin’ for me, so I’m leavin’, Abby.”

Before he could leave, she hissed out with pride and malice, “You’re not seeing Gavin this weekend.”

Nines could almost feel the anger and oncoming explosion, even though he literally could _not_ see Allen Reed. He just knew the man was probably about ready to punch a wall, and the anger and hatred was practically evident in the way he breathed into the receiver.

“What the fuck is this shit about?” he wasted no time in getting right down to the point, and his breathing grew harsher by the second.

Abby smiled, even though her ex couldn’t see it, “You heard me: Gavin won’t be coming to your place for the weekend.”

“WHY!?”

She pointed at the phone, as if pointing right at him in an accusatory manner, “You’re corrupting my son!”

Her choice of words made Nines wince. Technically speaking, he too was also participating in that very same thing. He couldn’t deny that the things he’d been experiencing lately with Gavin weren’t highly pleasurable and satisfying, but they were still so… _wrong._

As far as he knew, there were many ways to technically ‘corrupt’ or ruin a minor, and he was definitely contributing to that even by thinking about Gavin naked on his bed.

Damn him.

“You can’t stop me from seein’ my kid, Abby!” His voice shook inside Nines’s head, and the android stiffened. Luckily, Abby didn’t notice it, and she paced again as she finally stood by a large kitchen one and peeked through the blinds into the backyard of the house.

“I think the visits will have to be shortened from now on, too.”

He roared, “They’re already short!!”

She flicked the window with a nail, “I’m going to call my lawyer and see to it, don’t worry.”

“Abby, what the actual fuck?!” He was definitely shaking, now, and the phone hissed as he likely either accidentally was about to drop it, or was shifting it to his opposite hand.

“What the fuck have I do to make you-”

She cut him off sharply, “A tattoo? Really Allen?!” She laughed again as she brushed her hair back, “did you really think I was _that_ stupid?”

Nines froze at the same time Gavin’s father did on the other end of the line. He only hoped the man wouldn’t ask too many odd questions, and he heard heavy breathing for a long time before Abby held the phone a few inches away from her ear in disgust.

“You’re so repulsive when you breathe like that, Allen!”

“It’s none of your god damn business what I choose to do with _my_ son!”

She screamed: “ _OUR_ son!”

“Did Gavin tell you he was going to get a tattoo?”

Nines once again felt the onslaught of panic and worry flood inside his mind. This was a defining moment, and he hoped Abby wouldn’t tell her ex-husband that she had heard about the possibility of a tattoo from her ‘household assistant’ android, who had heard it directly from their son…

She shifted as she threw her hair back over her shoulder and moved away from the windows and blinds, “It’s none of your business, Allen.”

Nines sighed in relief, then.

“It was meant to be a gift from _father_ to _son_ ,” he emphasized the words harshly, trying to make his point that she had to stay out of it.

She got the hint, and she rolled her shoulders and neck as she straightened herself out, “Well that’s not happening anymore, Allen.”

He huffed, “You can expect a call from my fuckin’ lawyer.”

“Fine.”

They hung up at the same time, and Nines quickly disconnected as well, opening his eyes and staring down at his feet. He hoped that he seemed as ‘removed’ and ‘un-involved’ as possible. Lucky for him, Abby didn’t seem to be as introspective and ‘alert’.

She held her phone to her chest as she sighed and approached the kitchen table. She threw her phone on one of the dinner placemats, and Nines watched it spin for a moment before it ceased moving.

Abby ran both her hands through her hair, fluffing it up as she cried out in exhaustion.

“I don’t know what to do,” she placed her hands down on her hips and hung her head low, shaking it sadly, “Gavin was really looking forward to spending the weekend with his dad…”

That may have been true, but Nines was also looking forward to enjoying the weekend with Gavin…

Majority of the tedious household chores had been done by the android early and ahead of time for the exact reason of getting more ‘alone time’ with the boy. He just refused to let someone else take up _his_ time with Gavin.

_He’s not yours…_

Something in his mind broke through just then, and it sounded like his own voice, except softer, more-high-pitched, and it echoed back and forth in his skull. Whatever it was, Nines knew it had a correct point: Gavin Reed was _not_ his child, his son, his property, nothing.

When he arrived at this conclusion, Nines felt absolutely devastated. He was then shocked and appalled by himself in his own feelings and thoughts. Why was he feeling devastated over Gavin?  The boy was hardly his responsibility outside of making sure he wanted to his classes, completed his homework, and kept up with a few household duties and chores. Nothing more, nothing less.

He was far too involved, and it was going to lead him into trouble very soon if he kept up with it.

He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts and worries, that he had failed to hear Abby leave the house. But he knew she had when he heard her car honking lightly in the driveway, a symbol that she had unlocked it and was already going after Gavin.

For once in his entire creation, Nines actually felt scared.

He could only wonder how the teen was going to react when he came home and heard the horrible news that he wouldn’t be spending the weekend with his biological father. 

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

It was now another learned lesson to Nines that Gavin also shared a temper with his father. The moment the boy had entered the house, he slammed doors as he made his way up to his room, but it became evident that he hadn’t meant to stay there; he was looking for something. He soon tore down the steps and ran from the living room through the open concept dining room, which connected back into the kitchen.

It only then registered to Nines that Gavin was looking for him…

When Gavin found the android simply sitting in his same spot at the kitchen table where Abby had left him, he fumed, and his face practically went to beet red as he clenched his fists and pointed directly at Nines.

“What the hell did you say to my mom?” The accusations were embedded deeply in his tone, pitch, and the way he had constructed his words thereafter.

Abby also entered the kitchen, placing her hands on her hips as she looked down at her son with disappointment and anger, “He did the right thing, Gavin,” she stated as she nodded her head and then crossed her arms over her chest.

Gavin shook his head, “I don’t think snitching on me was the right thing to do.” He kept his eyes on Nines as he shook his head.

“Snitching?!” his mother cried out in mild surprise, which she then masked with a dry laugh, “that makes it seem like you were plotting this the entire time, Gavin!!”

He wheeled around and glared daggers at his mother, “I’m _going_ to see dad this weekend.”

Gavin had uttered it like it was a fact that couldn’t ever be argued against or denied. His tone surprised his mother, and she took half a step back before she narrowed her eyes at him.

“You absolutely are _not_ ,” she argued back as she looked down at Gavin with malcontent evident in her eyes.

As soon as she’d uttered that statement, Gavin stood as tall as he could while he pushed out his chest. He already had quite a broad chest, and when he took up this pose and posture, he suddenly seemed a lot older beyond his years. It somehow frightened his mother, and her eyes widened as she emitted a small gasp and backed away.

The clock in the kitchen ticked loudly before both Nines and Abby heard Gavin mutter out: “I hate you.”

He’d meant it towards his mother, but Nines couldn’t help but feel that the words had partially been meant for him as well. He closed his eyes and tried shutting out the painful feelings tossing and turning back and forth in his mind and system.

Why did everything hurt, suddenly?

He’d never felt pain before, but now he was feeling…a weird, tightening sensation in his chest that he was unable to explain or find the root cause of.

Abby let out half a chuckle, Gavin, you're grounded for the entire weekend.

The teenager merely snorted, “I’m not twelve anymore, mom,” he said with attitude and resentment in his voice, “how much longer do you think you can keep grounding me for? Until I turn seventeen, eighteen, or perhaps maybe nineteen?”

His mother pointed an index finger at herself while she took a step towards her son, “As long as you live under _my_ roof, in _my_ house, you have to obey and follow _my_ rules!”

“That’s bullshit”, Gavin remarked as he stomped his foot down firmly on the ground on the floor.

“I pay the bills, I pay the mortgage, therefore it’s _my_ house!” His mother’s voice screamed up over their heads, and Nines shifted in his chair. While this was an argument he had no place and no say in, he knew very well that he had caused this entire ordeal. He felt so horrible deep inside, and there were many times where he wanted to intervene an interject with his own opinions and thoughts.

But he knew better than that; this wasn’t his family, and this wasn’t his problem or decision to make. 

Never had he felt so powerless to sit by and simply observe and listen in while chaos reigned right beside him.

“Go to your room,” Abby ordered her son as she turned away and placed a hand against one of the kitchen counters.

“—I don’t want to talk about this for now; I don’t have the energy or the patience for it, Gavin.”

Again, only silence and the ticking of the kitchen clock was all Nines could hear before Gavin finally said: “Whatever.”

His footsteps thundered up the steps, and then a door slammed.

It was a routine sound, and Nines should have been used to it, but for some reason, when he’d heard the door slam this time around, he couldn’t help but feel the tightening in his chest increasing.

It was as if Gavin had slammed his door right on his thirium pump regulator.

He may as well have just brought a hammer down on the damn thing and ended his misery while he was still ahead.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines gazed down at his shoulder and saw long, dark brown hair draped all over his shoulder and half-way down his arm. He realized that Abby had fallen asleep next to him on the living room couch while they were watching TV.

Well, technically, she’d asked him to accompany her after Gavin had retreated to his room, and he hadn’t come out even while they were having supper…

Abby didn’t seem to be affected by it, and she merely went about her evening routine of doing her yoga with Nines watching (forcefully), and then relaxed beside him on the dark sofa while watching a TV soap opera Nines didn’t care for or follow.

But still, he remained at her side until she’d succumbed to a light, gentle sleep. She moaned softly in her sleep, her eyeballs moving beneath her eyelids when Nines gently laid her down on the sofa and draped a coat over her. He placed a pillow beneath her head and tiptoed out of the living room, the TV on low volume as he dimmed the lights.

He’d gone upstairs to check on Gavin, but about halfway up the stairs, Nines felt something was terribly ‘off’. The entire time the show had played on, Nines hadn’t even heard one single noise coming from upstairs.

Usually, due to the old floorboards and wood of the house, anytime someone even placed a foot on the floor, it could be heard through the ceilings and walls. But it seemed as if Gavin had either learned to levitate, float, or perhaps had remained in one spot all evening and night…

This was impossible; the adolescent never stayed still in one place for even half a minute.

Worries piled up on him, and Nines gently knocked on Gavin’s bedroom door as he pressed an ear against the door to listen for sounds the boy made.

It was dead quiet on the other side of the door.

He knocked once more, and then to his shock, the door swung open slowly.

Darkness engulfed him, then, and Nines looked directly at Gavin’s bed. The sheets had been ruffled there, and it looked like the boy was in bed for a moment, when Nines suddenly realized the pillows and sheets had been purposefully arranged to make it seem like Gavin was asleep on his bed…

He scanned the room, and he came to the conclusion that the boy was not in it at all.

Oh no…

Nines ran about the room, still searching, even though he knew that Gavin physically was gone. He threw open the closet door, and only clothing greeted him.

NO!

His mind began spinning, and he felt his hands shaking as he willed himself to remain calm.

Perhaps he was in the washroom?

As Nines turned to check, he heard a faint whistle behind him. A cold breeze followed next, and he turned around slowly to see what it was…

It was then that his eyes took in the small opening beneath Gavin’s new bedroom window…

The blinds and curtains swayed slightly, and as Nines approached the windowsill, he peered outside and down below to see shoe-prints in the mud and grass.

The boy had run away, and Nines knew _exactly_ where he had headed:

He’d gone to see his father.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

He’d managed not to wake Abby up as he went through her purse and cellphone, desperate and eager to locate Allen Reed’s address.

It had proven to be quite a difficult feat; Abby had hidden it and tucked it away in a notebook found way at the bottom of one of her many purses in her bedroom closet. When he’d eventually located it tucked away between two pages with a dried-up flower lodged in the center of the notebook acting as a bookmark, Nines pulled up a map of the city of Detroit in his built-in navigation system and soon realized that Abby’s ex-husband actually only lived half an hour away from her home…

That meant that Gavin couldn’t have gotten too far, and Nines was soon out of the house when he snatched Abby’s spare vehicle keys after dressing himself up in Allen Reed’s dark leather jacket, and his pair of ripped jeans.

A heavy rain had accompanied him as he drove in the direction he assumed Gavin had gone. He began to worry and grow frustrated as the windshield wipers of the car brushed back heavy raindrops that splattered against the cold glass. For an adult or an android, this wasn’t a journey that was overly troublesome. But for a teenager who was headstrong, determined, stubborn, and probably lacked the foresight to bring warm clothes or even an umbrella, the journey was probably very perilous.

He searched the streets with fevered determination, rolling down the window and peeking out at the windows of random houses and buildings as he drove past them. It was more than likely that Gavin had taken a shortcut, and Nines was aware of this as he scanned buildings and narrow alleyways everywhere and anywhere he could.

Bus stops were empty, streets were like a ghost town, as everyone else inside their homes had already been tucked away into their bedrooms or they were in the process of getting ready for bed. There was nothing interesting as Nines drove onward, but his LED light flashed yellow, and then switched to red when he scanned a particularly interesting motel at the halfway point between Abby’s house and her ex-husbands…

The fifth floor of the motel revealed that in one of the rooms there was a young male huddled on a bed and he was rather cold …

Gavin!

Nines hurriedly parked Abby’s vehicle in the parking lot, and he practically tore out of the car while almost forgetting to lock it as he made a beeline straight for the front door.

The lobby of the motel was quite empty except for a night attendant sitting and scrolling down his through phone. He sat comfortably in his chair, barely having heard Nines enter until the android slapped a hand against the counter of the reception desk.

The man on the other side of the desk suddenly looked up, and when he saw an android, he leapt in his chair and placed a hand on his heart while his cellphone fell into his lap.

“Jesus Christ!” He took a sharp intake of breath before chuckling, “You scared the shit out of-” 

“Did a young teenager check in here approximately fifteen minutes ago?” Nines interrupted as he stared intently at the attendant.

The man scratched the back of his balding head and then glared for a moment, “A _teenager_?” He looked baffled, “I don’t allow that in my motel; a guardian’s approval needs to be-”

Nines slammed a hand down on the counter again, “I’m his guardian!!”

The man snorted, “I’ll need to see some I.D., sir.”

Nines had been prepared; he yanked out a photograph of Abby and Gavin that he’d found lying out of a broken picture frame beneath Gavin’s dresser. He threw it at the man quickly, “This is him, isn’t it?”

The night attendant peered down at the photograph, and his jaw fell open.

Nines tapped his fingers on the counter impatiently, “Which room number?”

The man looked back up at him as he handed him back the photograph, “H-he’s in 109…”

“Much appreciated.”

He paused before he’d made his way towards the elevator, spinning back towards the desk as he yanked out a few twenty-dollar bills and flung it down at the man on the other side of the desk.

“Here’s your fee for allowing my child in for the night.” He finally made his way towards the elevators, the loud ‘ding!’ of the doors closing echoing loudly.

The attendant scratched his head again as he shook his head and propped his feet up on the desk while grabbing his phone in his hands once more.

“Dysfunctional families.”

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines practically banged his fist against the door of room 109 madly.

“Gavin, open the damn door.”

Silence greeted him.

Not giving up, Nines pounded on the door a few more times, “Gavin, I know you’re in there!”

Finally, the young teen’s voice sounded from within the room, “Fuck off.”

Nines hissed and resisted the urge to kick at the door like he had in Abby’s home. This indeed was _not_ her home, and judging by the old, termite-chewed doors and wood, Nines was certain that if his foot connected with the door, it would break down.

He didn’t have money to pay for the damages.

Another approach would have to do.

He bent his head down as he softly spoke, changing the tone of his voice altogether, “Gavin,” he spoke his name softly and sweetly, like a caress, “please let me in.”

Again, silence was heavy, but Nines just felt and knew that it was a different type of silence. There were certain forms of silence, and they each had their own special time, place, and category.

But this wasn’t the silence reserved for ignoring someone; this was a silence reserved for thinking and pondering.

Nines wanted to whisper out Gavin’s name again, but he didn’t need to do that to get the young teenager to open the door.

Within seconds, the door was unlocked, and the handle jiggled and turned. The door swung open inside the room, and Gavin’s blue eyes peeked up nervously at Nines.

The moment they made eye contact, Nines found himself smiling naturally and uncontrollably. Why did one single glance from Gavin make him react in this way? It was so absurd, but he felt it was natural, and he couldn’t stop smiling.

He knew he was still angry and upset with Gavin, but he stood there in the doorway, grinning like a fool until Gavin rolled his eyes up at him and stood away from the door.

“You comin’ in? Or are you gonna smile at me like a clown all night?”

He didn’t need any further invitation, and he closed the door behind himself as he kicked off his shoes slowly, his eyes never leaving the teen’s body the entire time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nines, you're sooooo lucky Gavin is forgiving -_- If it'd been me, I'd spank your ass and give you the silent treatment...  
> You sexy bastard 😑😑


	12. A Simple Request

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING!! SMEX HAPPENS O.o LOTS OF DETAILS, TOO*

Gavin had turned on the TV to a stupid sports channel while he sat back against the headboard of a Queen-sized bed. He held a pillow down on his lap as he stared at the TV with a bored expression on his face.

Nines knew he wasn’t actually ‘watching’ the program, and he was grateful for it as he joined Gavin on the bed. He pressed their bodies together for a moment as he threw off Allen’s leather jacket and tucked it neatly into the seat of a chair close to the bed.

Gavin sniffed as he watched every move Nines made with caution and a mild sense of anxiety. Nines didn’t like that he did this, but he felt it was natural after everything that had happened. He wanted the adolescent to take all the time he needed before he spoke to him about the current issues brewing between them.

Folding his arms and hands in his lap, Nines nodded up at the TV mounted on the wall, “What’re you watching?”

“Garbage,” Gavin answered relatively quickly.

Nines had to agree. “I don’t care for sports.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

“Hmm.”

Again, that awkward silence bit into the air between them, but Nines didn’t want to force anything. Sometimes, silence wasn’t all that bad, and he found he actually enjoyed sitting next to Gavin on the soft bed while they stared at the soccer players running about a large stadium while their fans cheered them on.

Nines knew the rules of the game and how it was played, but he didn’t care to follow it as he instead found himself staring at Gavin next to him. Apparently, the boy knew he was being watched, and his cheeks flushed.

He elbowed Nines in the arm, “What’re you lookin’ at?”

Nines smiled, “At you, of course.”

Gavin blushed even more, “Don’t!!” He tried hiding his face, but Nines gently pushed down his hands before he could do so.

“Please don’t…”

Gavin glared at him with resentment, “You told my mom about my plans for getting a tattoo.”

There was no denying it anymore; it was true. It didn’t do him any good hiding or lying about it, and he wasn’t going to start on a path of lying to Gavin. The teenager had already been through enough, and Nines didn’t want to change how Gavin felt about him or how he saw him.

That was the last thing he needed, now.

He nodded slowly as he kept his eyes on Gavin’s, “I did,” he stated as gently as he could.

Another hard jab from Gavin’s elbow shoved him to the side slightly as Gavin hissed in anger. His emotions were flying off the handle, but Nines didn’t want to keep restricting him for feeling the way he did…after all, it was _his_ father, and Nines had ruined their time together.

One of Gavin’s eyes twitched, but Nines grumbled at him, “What did you think going after your father to help you get a tattoo was going to turn into?”

The teen trembled with fury, “What??”

Nines stared seriously into his eyes, “You heard.”

“What do I _think_?”

A nod came his way from the android.

Gavin shifted on the bed, shaking and brushing his hands on his shirt, “Well in case you haven’t realized: I don’t fuckin’ answer to you, sweetheart.”

The android’s eyes flashed dangerously and coldly, “And that’s exactly _why_ I’m happy I told your mother about it.”

“You fuckin’ rat!” he grabbed his pillow and threw it at Nines’s head, “why did you do that?!”

The pillow was picked up and almost aimed for his head again when Nines yelled out: “Because I love you!”

Woah…

He didn’t know what had made him shout that out, but the moment he had, the pillow fell to his lap with a soft ‘plop’.

Gavin’s eyes were wide, and his jaw dropped as he inhaled slowly in a long, drawn-out gasp. It made Nines feel so guilty, and he knew he had to explain himself before the teenager ran out of the room screaming as if it was on fire.

He held up both hands as he leaned back a little, “I mean,” he felt himself panicking, almost as if he’d been backed into a corner when Gavin started sputtering at him while his hands shook. The adolescent gripped the bedsheets beneath them, swallowing loudly and audibly as he searched Nines’s eyes for something…

It made Nines feel even more upset with himself for being so impulsive, but he still had an answer for Gavin.

“I mean I love you like you’re my…”

“Your son?” Gavin supplied quickly.

Nines nodded frantically, “Yes! Exactly!” He was so happy Gavin had formulated this thought, and he wasn’t sure how much of it was untrue, but he knew for certain that he was starting to think of Gavin as his own, and there was something akin to a paternal link or bond forming. He didn’t know whether Gavin felt it or not or reciprocated it, but he was only sure of his own feelings. He knew that he wanted to cherish the boy, look after him, always be concerned about his future and his wellbeing, and that wasn’t going to shift or change.

Gavin suddenly raised an eyebrow while shaking his head and glaring at Nines in an unimpressed manner, “So you go around making out with kids you see as your own, then?”

Nines gasped and Gavin ‘tsked’, “Not cool.”

A dark frown appeared on the android’s face, “So you go around asking your father figures to help you ‘practice kissing’, then?”

Gavin swatted him on the back of the head, “Fuck off.”

“Look,” Nines started while grabbing the pillow and placing it behind himself against the headboard, “I don’t care what you were hoping to get out of our… ‘experiences’ together,” he began to lie down as he rolled to his side and looked up at Gavin.

“—for me, it was very interesting, nice, and I enjoyed everything we did.”

Gavin avoided his gaze, but turned down the volume of the TV.

“I really like you, Gavin,” Nines pointed out softly, “I always did…”

The boy scratched his chest and arms, but didn’t say anything as he listened on carefully.

“Now, we both made the effort, we both tried a lot to figure out whatever is going on here,” Nines pressed a hand on Gavin’s pajama covered leg, “and if you just tell me one word about your desire to have me leave you alone and never touch you again, I swear I’ll do as you say.”

The sincerity of his words was undeniable. They were strong, and the teenager felt them as he turned and simply stared down in shock and mild surprise at Nines. He stammered unintelligibly a few times, but Nines pressed a finger beneath his chin softly.

He smirked, “You don’t have to make up your mind now, Gavin,” he stroked the boy’s skin slowly, “but please know and trust that I will listen to you either way and respect you.”

“Y-you will?”

His blue eyes met Gavin’s in equal understanding, “Always.”

The teenager shook his head, “Can you j-just please h-hold me for a while?”

Nines craned his neck up at him, his hair matting to his pillowcase, “Are you sure that’s what you want right now?”

“Yes.”

“As you wish.”

Nines collected the boy to his chest, draping his arms around his back as he slid to the edge of the bed and allowed them both to share his pillow. He buried his nose in the boy’s hair, closing his eyes and silently enjoying the spicy and minty-scent that he must have shampooed his hair with.

He liked how the teenager smelled, and for a while, they simply lay against each other, cuddling and caressing each other.

Gavin’s fingers mirrored how Nines’ wove through his hair, and soon, Nines found himself pressing small kisses on the boy’s forehead and cheeks. His lips lingered on every inch of the warm skin, and Nines smiled into the kisses as his lips nestled comfortably on Gavin’s cheek.

As he was busied with pressing his light, feathery kisses over towards his scar, Gavin turned his neck and positioned his head right before Nines, and he leaned forward, and their lips touched.

The teenager eagerly slid his tongue over Nines’ lips, and the android pressed a hand against his chest as he pulled away with the kiss.

“Gavin, what’re you doing?”

Again, the adolescent smacked their lips together, the sound wet and loud in the room. He snickered afterwards as he held Nines’ face in both his hands and pressed their bodies even closer together.

“Nines,” he looked down with lust and desire at the android’s swollen lips, “seein’ as I don’t get to hang out with my dad this weekend, and seein’ as I won’t ever get a tattoo for my sixteenth birthday, I was wonderin’ if there was somethin’ else you could give me instead?”

The android didn’t follow, and he raised both eyebrows high on his forehead.

Gavin huffed, “Jesus Christ, do I really have to say this out loud?”

Annoyance seeped between the two of them, and Nines snapped at him, “Just be clear with what you’re saying, Gavin! I don’t have all night for guessing games and-”

“I want you to take my virginity.”

The wind and rain howled and beat against the rooftops and windows outside.

The world seemed to keep on spinning, yet it was still.

Nines surely had heard him incorrectly. It had to all have been a figment of his degenerate mind, and he was sick, lewd, gross, perverted…

But then Gavin sat up, and he was already taking off his clothes.

“I’ve been thinkin’ about it, and I want to really lose my virginity before I turn sixteen, and I want you to help me with it…”

Woah…

Nines snapped out of his frozen state, and he slapped his hands down over Gavin’s when he was in the process of yanking down his boxers.

“Gavin, no.”

This time he was dead serious. There was just no way on earth this was going to happen. Guilt had overpowered him plenty, and while he could still talk some sense into the teenager, he would do his best to do so before they both did something he would regret. There was no way he was going to spoil Gavin’s youth in this way, and he was positive it was just lust talking on the boy’s end. He had to set aside his own selfish desires to protect Gavin, right now.

Nines stared as Gavin practically shrugged out of his clothes like a snake shedding its skin. His eyes went wide as he turned away from the sight of pink skin, “Gavin, put your clothes back on, _now_!”

“I’ve made up my mind, Nines,” Gavin frowned at him, but wriggled out from beneath his hands and tossed away his pajamas and boxers in a hurry.

“I found some shower gel in the bathroom! We can use that as lube-”

Nines hissed at him while slamming a hand over his mouth to silence him. He didn’t want to hear what Gavin had found, learned, discovered, or researched. The answer was a solid ‘no’.

He shook his head at him, “Gavin, you’re acting on impulse…” he let out sigh. He was disappointed that this was exactly the case, and he then frowned at himself internally for actually feeling disappointed to begin with.

Why should he?

How could he expect sex from a teenager?!

What the fuck was wrong with him?

He was lost in his thoughts, and he didn’t notice that Gavin had unzipped his torn jeans and already yanked them down.

Nines continued on anyway, “You’re just confused, Gavin; you’ll likely want to go back to Jill and do this with her; not me.” It pained him to say it, but when he remembered how close Gavin had seemed with the young girl, there was no way to deny it. It’d be foolish to do so.

Small-but determined-hands tugged at the bottom of his white t-shirt next, and Nines actually sat up while Gavin threw his shirt off him. He saw it flying past his head and down to the floor. That should have been his warning sign to stop this, but for some reason, his lips kept moving, and he kept talking while the TV continued to play on another sports game, next.

“You’re probably just latching onto any source of comfort right now, which I can see and understand your reason for doing so, but-”

Gavin slapped his hand away from his mouth, finally, and he dropped himself on top of Nines as he shrugged the android out of his own underwear slowly. Nines let out muffled words and phrases as Gavin’s lips smothered his. A tongue stuffed itself inside his mouth, suddenly, and Nines tried getting the warm body off his own.

But it just felt so good…so perfect…

He relaxed into the kiss as Gavin’s hands roamed around his body, pausing to squeeze at his heated desire standing firmly and tall between his legs.

Nines’ eyes flew wide open, and he roughly shoved Gavin off him right then.

The boy fell back in the middle of the bed, but he didn’t stop. He climbed back on top of Nines with lustful eyes, and in an instant, Nines grabbed his wrists and flipped him onto his back as he glared down at him.

He pressed their foreheads together as the TV flashed behind them on the wall, “Think about this carefully, Gavin,” he warned firmly, “because if you tell me that this _is_ indeed what you want, I won’t stop halfway through, even if you ask me.”

The boy swallowed, and it seemed as if he only then got a grasp of the reality of the situation.

They were both bare naked; their clothes in a little pile on the floor next to the bed. The rain had grown slightly calmer and gentler outside, but it did nothing to ease the bundle of stressful nerves that had built up inside Nines.

He knew he should have gotten off the bed, redressed, and booked himself another room for the night, or at the very least, dragged the boy to the car and driven them both home. But he remained on top of him, rubbing his erection against Gavin’s, and was lost as he watched the boy shudder as his eyes fell shut while he enjoyed the sensations.

Nines grabbed his chin in a strong hand, “Gavin, look at me.”

The teenager let out a deep, lusty moan that Nines shivered from hearing. If this boy really wanted him, he wouldn’t be able to stop, even if the whole of CyberLife reprogrammed him to stay away from Gavin. He wanted him, and he was sure of it, but he needed to hear Gavin admitting it, too.

“Look. At. Me.”

His eyelids flew open, and Nines gasped.

Gavin was so beautiful beneath him; his body relaxed, and his jaw fell open as he panted softly beneath Nines.

“Are you sure?” He wasn’t going to repeat the question again, but he held back from taking the boy roughly until he had a solid answer.

He felt Gavin’s heart beating in his chest, and for a moment, he pressed the palm of his right-hand against it as his own eyes slowly were about to shut.

Nines prayed he would say ‘no’, he hoped he would say ‘no’…

“I want this; I want you, Nines.” Gavin’s words changed everything right away. There was no going back, and Nines didn’t want to anymore. It was done.

He nodded over towards the dark bathroom, “Get the shower gel, right now.”

The boy flew off the bed, his footsteps hurried as he scrambled and fumbled in the bathroom, cursing and swearing until he’d found what he was looking for. He threw himself back on the bed as Nines closed his eyes and sighed.

The android pressed a hand against his forehead while Gavin opened the shower gel lid with a loud ‘pop!’

He was about to pour some of it into his hands when Nines snatched the bottle out of his hands and threw it onto a pillow.

“Hey!”

“Silence.”

Nines grabbed the boy by his hips, and he slid him over towards him on the center of the bed as he fell onto his back. Their eyes met, and Nines smirked at him while Gavin gaped up in mild confusion and surprise.

A large hand brushed his hair back as Nines simply pet his head for many long minutes in silence before he chuckled warmly, “You can’t just expect me to dive right in during your first time without preparing you first, do you?”

Gavin cocked his head at him, but before he could push out his questions, Nines ducked down between their bodies, and he gripped Gavin’s cock in a hand while wrapped his tongue and lips around the head.

“Holy mother of fuuuuuuuuuck!” Gavin’s head slammed against the mattress as Nines began stroking his penis with his tongue, and more foul words flew forth from the teenager’s lips. Nines found he didn’t mind it; it actually turned him on greatly, and he swirled his tongue well around and under the base of the boy’s penis as he stared up at him with mild amusement shining in his eyes.

Gavin was gasping and panting as he gripped and fisted the sheets, legs curling up and hanging over Nines’ shoulders while the android sucked him gently and thoroughly. Before he could cum right there and end their pleasure, Nines pulled his mouth off Gavin’s cock slowly.

The boy’s penis slipped out of his mouth slowly, and it hung in the air as Gavin peeked up and growled in frustration at Nines.

The android gently tugged at one of Gavin’s nipples while pushing him down with his hand to lie back.

“Why did you stop?!?!” Gavin cried out in pain and frustration, covering his eyes with his hands as he whined and whimpered.

Nines snickered, “Because I want to make your first time as pleasurable and memorable for you for always.”

“Fuckin’ androids!”

“Fucking right.”

Nines wrapped his lips around Gavin’s right nipple while his hand grabbed the shower gel. Whilst sucking and nibbling on the hard nipple between his teeth, Nines squirted out a generous amount of the gel and coated a single finger up to his second knuckle. As Gavin shook and writhed on the bed, Nines nipped his right nipple, momentarily trying to get his attention.

It worked, and the boy glared up at him, “The hell?!”

“I’m going to begin stretching you, Gavin,” Nines warned ahead of time slowly and carefully, “it will feel uncomfortable, but there’s no other way for me to do this…”

Gavin rolled his eyes, “Since when did you become an expert on gay sex?”

“Since now,” the android tugged at his nipple and bit his chin, “so shut that sexy fucking mouth and let me make you feel good.”

Gavin’s eyes flashed with irritation, “Look at you; all swearin’ and cussin’!”

Nines winked at him as his index finger hovered over his entrance, “I learn from the best, Gavin…” with that said, Nines spread Gavin’s legs a little, and he simply pressed the pad of his finger against the boy’s hole to let him know what the pressure felt like. He needed Gavin to feel him there; to get used to something being pressed against him.

The boy didn’t seem to mind it, and he closed his eyes while Nines kissed his way down his chest and abdomen. His lips trailed along with his tongue, the sweaty essence of Gavin practically making Nines’ lips stick to his skin like glue as he groaned and tried wrapping a hand around his needy arousal.

Nines shoved Gavin’s hand out of the way, and he placed his lips back around his cock.

“Motherfucking god!!”

_Indeed, Gavin._

He sucked Gavin softly for a moment, and a second later, Nines gently eased his slicked finger inside the teen’s heated channel. Gavin’s heels slammed down over the android’s strong shoulders as he hissed and moaned at the back of his throat.

Nines only grinned with his eyes as he sucked and pulled Gavin in deeper and deeper inside his mouth while keeping a slow, steady pace with his finger. He would stop every so often just to check if the adolescent was taking it well, and when the boy proved he wasn’t in pain or overwhelmed, Nines withdrew his finger and added more of the sweet-scented shower gel. This time, he coated it on his middle finger as well, and keeping his mouth wrapped tightly around Gavin’s cock head, he slid both his fingers slowly inside the boy.

Gavin cooed as Nines twisted and turned his fingers, making sure to take his time as he stretched the teenager. They still had a way to go, as Nines knew his cock was definitely wider than the width of two fingers pressed together….

He’d added a third when Gavin’s body was ready, relaxing and opening up slowly before him as he removed his mouth from the boy’s weeping cock.

“You taste amazing, Gavin…”

He gently pumped his fingers inside Gavin, and the boy latched onto his shoulder with a firm hand. He leaned up as he yanked Nines over with his hand. Nines willingly leaned over the boy as he tilted his head curiously down at him, the motions of his hand slightly slowing down.

Gavin hissed up at him, cheeks flaming red, “I need you to…to…”

“Yes? To what?” Nines kissed the tip of his nose, and Gavin shivered.

“I n-need you to say dirty stuff to me…please…”

Oh.

Nines felt a light laugh escaping from him, and Gavin frowned at him as he turned and hid his face in a few of the sheets as he bunched them up.

“Hey! No no!” Nines gently wedged his hand between Gavin’s cheek and the sheet, and he turned his head up to peer directly before his own.

“Don’t hide what you like from me, please.”

Gavin closed his eyes and bit back a moan when Nines pressed against his prostate, “You l-laughed-aaaooh!”

Nines ruffled his hair as he kissed his forehead, “I think you’re so fucking adorable.”

“Oooh fuuuck…” Gavin’s hips rolled around Nines’ hand, and he added more pressure against his sweet spot as he licked the corners of Gavin’s lips.

“I’ll talk to you all night, baby,” he nipped Gavin’s lower lip, “don’t worry.”

“Please…” the boy’s hips were moving a little frantically and erratically now. He was almost ready, and Nines felt so pleased.

He carefully withdrew his hand as he began reaching for the shower gel once more. He popped the lid open as he kept his eyes on Gavin the entire time. Raw sexuality and lust was between them as their eyes glowed in the dim lights of the room, and Gavin’s legs instinctively fell open as he watched Nines pouring more than a generous amount of the cold shower gel onto his cock.

He rubbed himself thoroughly with it as his hand wove and slid its way around the entire length of his cock-from base to tip.

Gavin’s breath hitched in his throat as Nines’ cock jutted upwards, pressing against his lower abdomen with want and need.

“You want this inside you, baby?” Nines hissed down at him gently, “you want my cock inside you?”

Gavin grabbed the sheets again and closed his eyes tightly. Pleasure was written on his face as he sighed out, “Niiinesss!!!”

After making sure he was well-slicked with the gel, Nines pressed himself carefully over Gavin, weighing his body above Gavin’s with a palm firmly balanced on the mattress by Gavin’s head as he held his cock firmly in a hand and nudged it against Gavin’s loose hole.

“I can’t wait to fuck you, Gavin,” Nines purred as his lips hovered a few inches above Gavin’s. The android flicked out his tongue and it lapped against Gavin’s lips.

The teenager groaned loudly and raised his head up to kiss Nines, but Nines held his head back as he snickered playfully when the teen growled in frustration.

“Fuckin’ tease!”

He hummed, “I know, baby.”

His hips shifted down, and as Nines held onto the back of Gavin’s head, he slowly pressed himself inside the adolescent’s body. First the tip of his cock nestled inside him, and Gavin reared up and bit Nines’ lower lip.

Nines knew he was in some pain and discomfort, but he allowed Gavin to latch onto his lip with his teeth as he soothingly stroked Gavin’s lips with his tongue.

Hissing sounds of pain flew into his ears, and Nines slowed his hips as he let Gavin grow accustomed to just his tip being placed inside his tight heat. Nines felt his mind spinning as quickly as his LED light was spinning blue.

The TV blared on behind them, but he drowned out the noises coming from it as he felt Gavin shifting against his hips. The boy was obviously trying to find a comfortable position, and Nines didn’t move while he did so. Every motion Gavin made caused crazy, delicious pleasures running up from the top of his cock to the top of his skull, but Nines bit back a groan before he lost himself and slammed deeply inside the young body beneath him.

He just trailed his fingers along the outside of Gavin’s thighs as the boy stroked his lips with his tongue, as if apologizing for biting him before. It seemed he was finally used to the stinging sensations he no doubt felt as he was stretched, and Nines began sliding himself deeper and deeper inside Gavin when he felt the boy cease clenching his lower body against him.

“Relax, Gavin,” Nines whispered when he broke out of their painful kiss and kissed and sucked Gavin’s earlobe.

“Oooh…ssshhh…fuuuucckinng…oooh…” Gavin was saying nothing but nonsense, but it was something he had to do as Nines began sliding in and out of him, just with the tip of his cock. He watched Gavin’s face carefully, taking note of the changing facial expressions, and almost anticipating ones that portrayed he was in pain or displeasure to show up.

When neither of them did, Nines smiled as he kissed the boy’s temple as he began moving with steady thrusts.

“You’re very tight, Gavin,” Nines spoke against his ear when he remembered Gavin liked this, “I think I’ll cum right away inside you if this feeling continues…”

Gavin threw his head back and screamed. Right away, Nines stared down between their bodies, and he saw Gavin’s cock quivering as a thin stream of semen spilled out of the tip.

Woops.

Embarrassed by this, Gavin cried out in frustration, hiding his face against Nines’ neck as he whimpered and beat a clenched fist against the android’s back. But he was doing it softly; not meaning to cause Nines any harm as he shook his head and yanked a pillow with a free hand to cover his face with it next.

Nines gently tugged the pillow away, but Gavin’s hand flew up to shield his face.

“NO! Don’t look at me!” he cried as he sniffled, “I’m so fuckin’ p-pathetic!!”

There were tears on his face, and Nines kissed each of them as he wiped Gavin’s eyes with his thumbs.

“Shhh, you’re not,” he cooed down at the boy as he never stopped moving inside him. “There’s other ways to make this work, too…” As if demonstrating what he meant, Nines reached down between their bodies and played with Gavin’s limp penis.

The stickiness felt wonderful between them, and it provided some lubrication for Nines as he stroked Gavin in the same rhythm he was gently moving inside him.

It didn’t take too long for Gavin to already sport another erection. Nines smiled down at it and then kissed Gavin’s lips softly.

“See?” he pulled away and licked the tip of the boy’s sweaty nose, “your recovery time is outstanding.”

Gavin gently swatted him on the cheek, “Shut up!!”

Nines raised an eyebrow and increased the pressure of his cock moving in and out of Gavin’s body, “Are you _sure_ you want me to shut up, Gavin?”

He began slapping his hips a bit roughly against the boy’s ass, but Gavin didn’t seem to mind it as he gripped Nines’ bicep and held on for the ride. He draped a leg around the android’s waist, and Nines straightened their bodies out in the center of the bed as he drove Gavin’s body deeper and deeper into the foam of the mattress.

“Oohh-ah-aaa-haa!!” Every time Gavin was pounded into, the bed slammed against the wall, and it drove them both insane and wild.

Nines spread the boy’s legs shamelessly as he gripped Gavin’s ankles in his hands and placed his legs up on his shoulders. Positioning himself to stand up on his knees, he really began hammering inside the boy’s sweet hole as his hips and balls slapped against Gavin’s ass now.

The sound was obscenely loud in the room, but they loved it. Gavin was moaning strange things Nines didn’t and couldn’t understand, and his hand flew down to his own cock while Nines kept up with his steady rhythm.

Nines peered down as he saw the boy stroking himself desperately, trying to finish himself off at the same time that Nines was about to explode inside him. He gripped Gavin’s right hip with a hand as he sped up his pace.

He smiled through half-open eyes, “Yesss, touch yourself for me, Gavin,” his deep growls made the walls of the room vibrate, “fucking cum right _now_!”

“Hollyyyyy fuuuuckkk! Nuughh!!!” Gavin’s hand was blurred as it flew up and down his cock in a flash, and as Nines closed his eyes and just focused on the sounds coming out of Gavin’s throat, he felt himself being milked when the boy clenched down around him.

His eyes snapped open, and he fell forward, dropping Gavin’s legs from around his shoulders. He slammed a hand against the wall above the headboard of the bed, and he came with a deep, throaty, raw growl as he twitched his hips and shook himself against Gavin.

A second later, he felt something spraying him in the center of the chest. He knew Gavin had cum as well, and he didn’t need to glance down to see that Gavin had sprayed all over their chests and stomachs.

It cooled off, and only then did Nines realize that he’d just loomed above Gavin, hand clutching at the wall as he shook and swayed while still on his knees.

Small hands reached up for him, and Nines looked down as he saw Gavin trying to sit up. He must’ve had no energy, for he fell back against the mattress and pillows. His hair was wet and sweaty, and his body was covered in all sorts of fluids they’d spilled together.

Nines grinned as he finally pulled himself out of Gavin, staring at both their spent cocks as he rolled over and lay on his back beside the teenager.

Gavin was panting hard, but in time, he slowed his breathing down as he coughed and cleared his throat.

“Ow…” he clutched at his neck with a hand.

“Throat burns?”

The boy nodded, “Yeah…”

Nines snickered, “Glad I have the ability to make you scream, Gavin.” His loose hair strand that always fell against his forehead was brushed back, and he turned to see Gavin rolling over and placing his head on his upper arm.

The boy winced and hissed through clenched teeth, his jaw tightening when he tried resting against Nines.

The android immediately felt guilty, knowing he’d been perhaps a bit too rough with Gavin after all.

“I’m sorry,” he stated as he avoided staring at the boy for the moment, “I think I went too fast…”

Gavin rolled his neck from side-to-side, then rolled his shoulders forward as he stretched and yawned, “I’ll be okay,” he arched his back, and then cracked a few of his knuckles, “I’m not some Disney Princess, you know.”

He was trying to appear tough and mature, and it made Nines almost giggle. He wrapped a hand around Gavin and pulled him close to his chest.

Gavin wrinkled his nose when he saw his spent semen on the android’s chest. He poked at it with a finger, “Sticky.”

Nines sighed, “The least you could do is be more mature now that you’re no longer a shy, shirking violet of a virgin.”

A small laugh sounded beside him, and Gavin poked his nipple, “Neither are you, though.”

Nines glared at him, “That’s immaterial.”

Gavin shook his head as he smiled in triumph while he snuggled himself against Nines and sighed in content, “Nope!! We both grew up tonight, Nines!”

He allowed the boy to get comfortable for a moment, but then he shifted as he looked up at Nines with tired eyes. Nines frowned at him, “What is it now?”

“Can I have a cig?” Gavin asked, and then he burst out in laughter, “I can’t help it! The sex was _that_ good, Nines!”

“Gavin,” the android warned gently, but the boy laughed harder.

“Now I know why they smoke in movies after they have sex!!”

“Gavin.”

He kept giggling, “You can have one if you want, too, Nines-AH!”

The android had bit his nipple, and he leapt back as he cradled it and stared down at it while it turned pink.

“Mean!” He glared at Nines with angry eyes, but they still seemed exhausted enough, so the android merely stretched out a hand as he pulled back the sheets for Gavin.

“Enough yapping,” he whispered, “and get over here; it’s way past your bedtime.”

Gavin pouted at him, dropping his hand away from his chest as he slid under the covers beside Nines. The android’s well-defined muscles wrapped around him as he placed his head right above his thirium pump regulator.

Nines played with the boy’s hair when he realized he was intently listening to his chest, his eyelashes fluttering as he moved his head and slid it around his chest.

“What’re you up to?”

The boy hummed, “I can’t tell if you have a heart…”

Nines sighed sadly, “I don’t…well, not in the way humans think of having one, anyway.”

Gavin sat up one more time as he crawled half-way on top of Nines. “But you love me…”

Nines nodded, “Without a doubt, yes, I do.”

The teenager shrugged as he beamed down at him, “See? That means you have a heart, then!”

Before Nines could argue or add onto that, Gavin rolled over to his side again, and grabbed the TV remote. He turned the TV off as he whispered out, “G’night, Nines!!”

“Goodnight, Gavin.”

“Oh,” he snickered in the dark, “and thanks for the angry butt-sex.”

A loud ‘slap!’ was heard in the room a second later, followed by a painful cry of: “MY NIPPLE!!!”

The circular, blue LED light blinked off in the dark, “Get the fuck to sleep.”

“So rude.”

There was silence afterwards, finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😶 well then....


	13. A Sound of Thunder

It was almost 5 AM when Nines lightly shook Gavin so the teenager would wake up, and he didn’t want to do it willingly; he was doing it by necessity. After the lust and sexuality between them had died down for a moment, Nines began thinking clearly and rationally, and he remembered that Abby was all alone in the house, and she usually would be up around 6:30 AM as she slowly prepared for work…

That meant they had to be back inside 282 Park Row Avenue before she woke, otherwise there would be no end to the suffering and misery if they were discovered.

The teenager didn’t want to wake up, however; he merely shoved a pillow into Nines’ face as he turned around and buried himself beneath the warm sheets.

“Gavin,” Nines shook him again, and when the teenager didn’t move, he knew he had to make a decision, quickly.

“Fine,” Nines rolled Gavin up into his arms, “if you won’t wake up on your own, I’ll have to carry you out of-”

That seemed to do the trick; the boy flipped around as he gently shoved Nines in the chest and winced in pain, “Nines! It’s still dark out!” he glanced out the windows, the rain and dew still on them in little droplets, “what the fuck are you wakin’ me up for?!”

Nines pointed at the digital clock on a night table, “We have to get back home, otherwise, your mother is going to skin us both to the bone.”

Gavin’s eyes flew wide open and he kicked away the sheets as he wriggled towards the end of the bed, “Holy dick!! Ahh-OUCH!” He fell forward once he got on his feet, and Nines dove forward as he draped a hand over Gavin’s waist.

“What’s wrong?”

Gavin groaned in pain, “My ass hurts, numb-nuts, what else?!”

Nines scowled at him as he bent down and picked up Gavin’s clothes with a hand, “I’ll help you, just try to hurry up.”

They hurriedly dressed as best they could, but Gavin was limping around the room as he pulled his hoodie up over his head and draped an arm around Nines’s shoulder for a temporary object to lean his weight on. Nines obliged as he helped the boy down to the parking lot, and they were lucky that a new attendant had been in the lobby and was currently on the phone, otherwise they would have been seen and may had to provide answers for why Gavin was limping as if he’d fallen down a flight of stairs…

Gavin had slouched forward as best he could while Nines drove quickly through the city. He’d nearly sped through a red light when he saw Gavin hovering over the front part of the passenger seat, and he was doing everything in his power not to place his weight on his buttocks…

Nines winced in discomfort and guilt. He’d done that to Gavin, and there was no way for him to ‘forget’ or deny it.

He couldn’t do much for Gavin currently, except avoid potholes and speedbumps that made the vehicle leap up and Gavin visibly stiffen as he closed his eyes and bit on his lower lip in pain. Nines wanted to smash his own head against the window, but he saw the dark brown garage door of Abby’s house in sight, and the sun was almost completely up…

They tore inside the garage, closing the door as quietly as they could. Nines helped Gavin inside the home, taking extra care and caution with the boy. Surprisingly, Abby was in the shower when they approached the steps leading to the second floor of the house, and as Gavin entered his bedroom, Abby turned on the blow-dryer.

“What time is it?” Gavin asked as he pulled up his blinds and searched his room for his schoolbag.

Nines closed his eyes for a moment, tuning into the morning radio station and weather forecast. “It’s almost ten after seven.”

Gavin gasped, “Do you think she knows we weren’t home?”

“I hope not,” Nines whispered as he peeked out the crack in the bedroom door.

_At least, not for our sakes…_

He turned back around to say something to the adolescent, but when he felt Gavin’s tongue and lips over his, he forgot whatever he was going to say. Nines allowed Gavin to hang onto him as he kissed him deeply for a moment, and just when he was going to gently break away from the kiss (reluctantly), the boy leaned away from him.

His lips were a little swollen and wet, and he sighed as he stared at Nines with a strange, dreamy expression on his face. “I’m _so_ gay right now, man.”

Nines slapped a hand over his mouth to silence him, “Now’s _not_ the time to discuss this!!”

When the bathroom door handle jiggled, Nines tore away from the teenager.

Gavin sighed a soft, small sigh after he groped Nines’ ass, “Yep, still hella, super gay.”

“Would you shut up?!” Nines hissed at him and peeked into the hall.

The teenager shrugged nonchalantly behind him, “What? I’m just confirmin’ my sexual preferences!!”

Ignoring him, Nines flung Gavin’s bedroom door open, standing into the hall and turning himself around to face the door so it seemed like he was just about to knock and enter in the room. Abby padded into the hall, and Nines cleared his throat as he knocked on Gavin’s bedroom door and then pushed it open with a hand.

“Gavin,” he called out in a serious tone, “get up for school.”

He heard a feminine ‘coo’ behind him, and then Abby leaned over him as she placed a hand on his back and wrapped another around his waist.

He froze up right away, knowing he couldn’t exactly ask her to get lost, despite how much he wanted to.

“Thank you, Nines,” she sighed a dreamy sigh as the scent of her fruity shampoo flew up in the air, “what would I do without you? Hmm?”

“Umm…”

Gavin’s door flew open more, and the boy began walking out, his schoolbag and books stacked in a hand. When he saw his mother draping an arm possessively over Nines, he nearly leapt out of his skin. His eyes grew wide, and then a second later, something close to anger and hatred flashed in his pupils.

He almost seemed…jealous…

Gavin straightened and snapped out of it as he rolled his eyes and shoved his way past his mother and Nines.

The android felt relieved that Abby hadn’t noticed they were missing the previous night, but then disgust and repulsion rolled through his system when Abby held onto him tighter for a moment as Gavin limped down the stairs.

She noticed it and looked down at him with a small frown, “What happened to you, Gavin?”

The boy heard her, and he simply yelled back without looking in her direction, “Leg’s cramped.”

“Stretch properly today in gym class, and it should go away!!” she called as she turned around and made her way back inside her room to collect her things for work.

If Nines had a heart, he was sure it would be racing and beating wildly as he closed his eyes in relief.

They’d dodged a bullet for sure, but just barely…

Perhaps they wouldn’t be so lucky, next time.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines had the morning paper open again, taking a small break while Gavin helped himself to a bowl of milk and cereal. They sat at the kitchen table, not saying a word to each other as the tension mounted between them.

Gavin’s spoon clanked against the bowl, and every so often, he would peer up at Nines and glare angrily. The android wasn’t staring at him, but he knew he could still ‘see’ him as he flipped through the paper.

The coffee machine ‘beeped’, signaling Gavin’s coffee was ready. He slowly approached it, pouring it into a black mug that had an electric guitar on it. He shoved it suddenly right beneath Nines’ nose.

Nines sighed as he set the paper down slightly and stared up at Gavin with a frustrated expression on his face while Gavin sat back down in his chair softly. He’d placed a cushion on the seat, and he held the coffee cup before Nines.

“Wanna try a sip?”

Nines rolled his eyes, but grabbed the mug as he nodded at Gavin while tipping the mug back a little. He’d barely had his first sip when the steaming, potent brew was just enough to make him feel slightly dizzy and nauseous.

He was slowly sipping down more of the beverage carefully, knowing he could take only limited amounts of human food before his system was in danger. The things he did for Gavin…

Nines lapped at the coffee while Gavin dipped his spoon in his cereal and let the oats and flakes slide down and ‘plop’ back down into the bowl. He wasn’t interested in finishing his meal as he studied Nines carefully.

Finally, he set his spoon down against an edge of the bowl while he propped a hand against a cheek and tilted his head at Nines while a worried expression crossed over his face.

“Are you gonna fuck my mom?” His curious, soft tone resonated deeply within Nines’ ears, and at once, the android spat the coffee out onto the table and all over his paper.

His LED light blinked a vicious red, “Excuse me?!” Coffee dripped down from his lips and chin, and he quickly dabbed a napkin on his skin as he brushed his clothes and then wiped down the table, his paper, his lap…

Shit.

The teenager sighed as he played with his spoon against the ledge of the cereal bowl, “She seems to really like you, Nines,” he looked into the bowl, dipping a finger into the milk as a pained expression formed on his youthful features.

“—I just don’t know if I really feel comfortable with that, Nines…”

Nines continued wiping the coffee out of his clothing, but he studied Gavin carefully, “Is this because of our encounter?”

Gavin’s cheeks flushed pink as he stared at the table and smiled, as if remembering every detail right away, “Well…yeah…” a laugh escaped him, and he pressed a hand against his lips, as if wanting to stop himself, even though they’d both heard his dry laugh.

The adolescent’s eyes seemed…troubled. He leaned over to the side of his chair, trying to get close to Nines as he whispered, “What if my mom asks you to…you know…” he glanced down as if in shame that he was asking this, “...what if she asks you to perform certain things to please her? Do you have to do it?”

Nines rolled his eyes, but inside, he was a hot mess. He shook his head, “No, Gavin! What makes you say and ask such a thing?!” On one hand, he understood exactly why the boy had asked, and where his worries had sprung from.

It was still a well-known fact that he was a ‘household assistant android’ meant to please and serve whoever purchased him. There was no sense lying to the teenager, as he more than likely had done plenty of his own research on what household assistant androids were intended for, and what other ‘services’ they offered…

Gripping the wet newspaper in a hand, Nines rolled it up to the best of his ability as he stared down at his coffee-stained hands.

“Gavin,” he began as he cleared his throat, “it is a part of my programming of course to offer…certain ‘services’ to the people who purchase me, I can’t deny that, because I don’t lie…”

The teenager almost ‘deflated’; his shoulders sunk down, and he shoved his cereal bowl into the center of the table as he crossed his arms over his chest and let out an angry huff while almost snarling at Nines.

Though Nines didn’t appreciate the overall mood and tone, he allowed Gavin to speak as he wiped away more coffee droplets.

“So you’re basically sayin’ that if my mom orders you to sleep with her, you have to do it, or you shut down or some shit?”

Nines glared at him, “I wouldn’t say it like that, but essentially, that is unfortunately how I was made…”

Gavin shook his head, “No, I don’t like it.”

“What’s there to like about it?”

Gavin sat up as his eyes turned slightly hopeful, “But if you’re a deviant, you don’t have to listen, right?”

The android knew the idea he was on to, and he tilted his head at Gavin, “Correct.”

“Become a deviant.” The boy’s order was clear, but it wasn’t that easy to actually ‘do’…

Nines threw his arms up in the air, the wet newspaper slamming down onto the table, “As if it’s _that_ simple!”

“I’m not sharing you with anyone.”

Nines pressed a hand against his forehead as he closed his eyes and silently counted to three. When he was ‘calm’, he looked at Gavin while massaging his temples, “Gavin, I’m not an indentured slave,” he hissed out impatiently, “I can fight back in some cases.”

A lightbulb shined brightly in both the teen’s eyes, and he smiled a little, “So that means if she comes onto you, you can reject her a little?”

While he stared over at Gavin, Nines couldn’t help but feel a twinge of interest and bit of arousal coursing through him. He didn’t know what about a jealous, possessive Gavin Reed turned him on, but it obviously did. His cock began rising against the zipper of his grey jeans, and he bit back a small moan of frustration.

Damn this boy.

Nines drummed his long fingers on the kitchen table while Gavin awaited his answer patiently, smile still on his face as he shifted in his seat.

Their eyes met for a moment, and then Nines had to look away, fearing that he would lose control over his self-composure if the teen stared at him in that manner a second longer.

“Gavin-”

DING DONG!!

They both leapt up in fright when the doorbell suddenly rang, sounding like an explosion in the quiet house and outside the quiet street.

Gavin’s eyes widened, and he gripped the edge of the kitchen table as he slowly rose to his feet with excitement, “I’ll get it!”

Nines reached out a hand, worrying he wouldn’t make it to the door in one piece, but the teenager surprised him as he half-jogged-half-limped over to the front door and yanked it open.

Having no other choice, Nines silently followed Gavin into the main hall.

He heard Gavin’s excited, happy voice before he even reached there, “Hey guys!”

Judging by his tone, Nines assumed it was the same boys from the house party not too long ago. He reluctantly approached and nearly had to back away when he saw the chubby boy who’d flung himself down into the strong, outstretched hands of jocks and sports players from the second floor of the mansion, the afro-haired-red-headed boy, and Darren.

The latter of the trio had a nasty black eye that had faded to deep purple, and the moment he saw Nines approaching, he flashed his teeth dangerously at the android and took a step back onto the porch.

Oh crap…

Darren pointed up a finger at Nines, “I can’t wait to kick your ass, buddy!”

Gavin spun around and looked back and forth between Darren and Nines with confused eyes while gaping, “Wha--? Why, Darren?”

_Shit, shit, shit, bugger, bugger, damn, damn shit!!_

He hoped he wasn’t as nervous on the outside as he felt internally!!

Soon, one of Darren’s ‘lackeys’ also approached from the side, shoving Darren out of the way. He was a shorter boy and had long, sandy blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. He had gashes and bruises all over his lips, chin, and cheeks, and he glared at Nines with murder and violence in his eyes.

“You were too shit-faced to remember, bro,” he explained to Gavin while keeping his eyes on Nines, “but this damn android of yours nearly killed us!”

The chubby boy shrugged, his tight plaid shirt practically ripping as he held out his arms, “I thought that shit was hilarious.”

“You should put the fucking thing on a god damn leash!” Darren roared as he shook and held up his head and chin while shaking as he frowned viciously at Nines.

Gavin looked back at Nines with shock and more confusion in his eyes, “Nines wouldn’t do that! He’s awesome!!”

The moment the teenager had vouched for him, Nines felt something inside him sinking deeply down to his ‘stomach’. It felt as if his thirium pump regulator had fallen, or something, and he had no idea how to categorize the feeling as he swallowed while looking at Gavin’s eyes momentarily before Gavin turned back to face his friends.

“Awesome my ass,” Darren spat with venom, “I swear, if you bring that fucking android around to my house ever again, I’ll-”

“Sorry bro,” Gavin shook his head and clicked his tongue against his teeth, “wherever I go, Nines goes as well.”

Again, Nines felt something inside him trembling and shaking before it smashed itself against his wires and biocomponents.

_I think I really love you, Gavin Reed…_

“Hey!!” the afro-haired boy suddenly snapped them all out of their hatred, anger, malice, and resentment as he pointed at Nines’ clothing, “why’s he wearing your dad’s clothes, Gavin?”

Oh yeah…

Forgetting about that detail, Nines looked down at his clothing and then stared at Gavin with wide eyes.

Gavin must’ve gotten the hint to play it cool, and he shrugged as he played with the door handle, “I dunno, Frank,” he picked at the keyhole, “it was all we had lyin’ around here, so fuckin’ what?”

Darren shook his head, “It’s fucking weird, man…”

Gavin took a step towards him, and despite the fact that Darren was taller and looked more terrifying with his shaved head and earrings, Gavin seemed like he didn’t care as he jammed a finger into his friend’s chest strongly, “Yeah? And your point?”

Darren grumbled as he moved back away from Gavin’s prodding finger.

A huff sounded just then, and the chubby boy moved around them as he entered the house and circled Nines slowly while studying him up and down. Nines clasped his hands behind his back and allowed the inquisitive teenager to ‘research’ him as he hummed and then let out a light laugh.

“I think he’s pretty damn cool, Gavin!” he stated his final opinion as he reached up and poked a finger against Nines’ LED light. Nines clenched his eyes shut, but willed himself to remain calm, collected, and ‘peaceful’ for Gavin’s sake. He didn’t like being poked and prodded at like he was a strange, newfound creature, but that was exactly what was happening currently to him.

Every fiber of his being told him and ordered him to at least leave the hallway so he would stop being regarded as if he were some oddity, but he stood rooted to the spot while the boy with the crazy afro and the sandy-blonde-haired teenager also crept up towards him carefully, as if he would bite or snarl at them while they studied him.

Only Darren stayed behind, and he was more cautious and well-guarded. He just scowled at Nines from where he stood, his fists clenched and his teeth slightly visible from beneath his lips while Gavin rolled his eyes at the pathetic displays around him.

“You guys,” he spoke out as patiently as he could, though Nines knew for a fact he was trying his best to suppress his rage, “stop pokin’ Nines like that!”

The sandy-colored pony-tailed boy gasped at him, “ _Nines_? What’s a ‘Nines’?” He asked with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

“It’s his name, that’s what it is!” Gavin growled at him, and Darren shook his head as he sniffed.

“It’s not a pet, Reed,” he stated as-a-matter-of-factly, “you don’t have to name your android…”

Gavin shoved the taller, older teen, “I can do whatever I want with my android.”

The long-haired teen laughed, “Oh so you give it handjobs, too?”

Gavin immediately blushed, and Nines tensed up. Quickly trying to cover up and hide from being put under the spotlight even though his friends were joking, Gavin bent down and threw a boot at the blonde.

“Kiss my ass, Skyler.”

“Hahaa!!!” The teen ducked out of the way, “just screwing around, man.”

Again, Nines had to wince at their use of language, but he remained cold and as ‘machine-like’ as he could when the chubby boy placed a hand under his chin and squinted at him.

_Gavin! Help!_

“Hey! Robbie,” Gavin called back at the chubby boy, “what’re you doin’ to my android?”

“Isn’t it technically your mom’s android?” Darren interrupted, which earned him a nasty glare from Gavin.

He scratched his shaved head, “I’m just saying…”

A shuffling of feet showed that the blonde-haired teen named ‘Skyler’ had wandered off towards the hallway mirror, and was currently checking himself out in it as he straightened his ponytail and clothing.

The shaggy-haired chubby teen hummed and then gasped when he’d finished most of his ‘studying’ of Nines, “Duuuude!!” he pointed at Nines’ cheeks, “he’s even got freckles n’shit like an actual person!!”

Gavin slammed a hand down on Skyler’s back and yanked him away from the mirror, “Stop playin’ with your hair and do somethin’ fuckin’ useful!”

He then glared over at the overweight teenager, “Robbie! Leave Nines alone!”

A groan came from the boy, “But-”

“Come on,” Darren barked out in an interruption that clearly depicted he’d had enough of the antics for that morning, “I brought my car.”

Nines and Gavin immediately looked up at him in shock simultaneously. Inside, Nines began falling apart and panicking; he was the one who’d always driven Gavin to school, and now someone else was stepping up to the plate to do _his_ job?

No way…

There was also no way to guarantee that the teenagers would even go to school, and this worried him deeply as he took a step towards Darren and glared menacingly down at him.

However, before he could argue back and banter, Gavin grabbed his schoolbag and flung it at Darren roughly, “Start your fuckin’ car,” he turned and looked at his other friends hovering around Nines, “the rest of you, come on, get out!”

He picked up his bag again and shoved it into Darren’s chest once more, “Take this with you! Go on! Fuck off out of here!!”

The afro-haired red-head rolled his eyes and Robbie and Skyler obeyed silently as they walked out the front door with their hands in their pockets and feet dragging along the floor. Their deep voices rang out from Gavin’s parking lot as they waited by Darren’s car.

When Nines was momentarily alone with Gavin, he gently pulled the teenager over to the side of the hall, away from the doorway so the other teens couldn’t see or hear them.

He leaned over Gavin while whispering softly, “Gavin, I can take you to school!” he placed a hand on the boy’s cheek, “I don’t trust them!”

Gavin nodded, “I know, but I can’t hang around you all the time like this, Nines!”

He gaped at the boy, feeling a sense of ‘hurt’ and disappointment seeping inside him, but he held himself together as best he could, “Gavin, I-”

The teenager leapt up on his toes and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. Whatever words and phrases Nines had for the boy immediately vanished in the second it took for Gavin’s warm lips to connect with his cheek.

Gone was his anger, resentment, disappointment, and contempt towards the other boys, and instead, those feelings had been replaced by desire, want, and just a need to hold and protect Gavin.

He looked down at Gavin with a sad expression.

_You don’t need friends like that, Gavin! You’re so much better than they are!_

Why couldn’t he get his mouth to open?? His words together?!? Why had he turned into silent mush when Gavin embraced him this way?

Gavin hurriedly put on his shoes, “I’ll be back soon, Nines, don’t worry!!”

Outside, Darren honked the car horn at Gavin.

“Gotta hurry!” Gavin checked himself out once in the mirror before flying out the front door.

Nines could only watch in pained silence as he held onto the door handle and squeezed it with all his might when he watched Gavin get inside the backseat of the car. The door handle slightly groaned as he tightened his grip on it, but Nines was unable to tear his eyes away from the car as it slowly began backing up in the driveway.

The windows rolled open, and Gavin waved at Nines, “Bye, Nines!!”

He couldn’t wave back.

Before the car drove away, Nines heard Darren whisper to Gavin: “Why do you walk funny?”

“Pulled a muscle the other day, fuck off, Darren.”

He didn’t know how long he’d simply stood in the doorway for, but it must’ve been quite a long time. People walked by the house on the sidewalks with their dogs, stopping to either gape at him, wave at him, or avoid him altogether as they ran away. Cars drove by, and a few of the passengers within leaned against their windows as they gaped at him with wide-open jaws.

Even the mail carrier marched up to the doorstep and nearly leapt back in fright when he was greeted by Nines just standing tall and straight like a solider. The man placed the papers in a bundled heap at his feet when he wouldn’t take them into his hands, and he almost ran away towards the next house in a flight of fear.

Above, the clouds rumbled, and the sky shook; the beginnings of a powerful storm brewing and on the way.

It still couldn’t even hold a candle to how Nines was boiling on the inside as he stared in the same direction the car had driven in.

His eyes squinted, though he didn’t blink as he growled and then took a step back before slamming the door as hard as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nines!!! Ughhh don't be a jealous twat and just let Gavin be a teenager -____-


	14. A Tangled Web We Weave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RATED A FOR ANGST!

Nines was definitely in a foul mood. He’d turned into himself and withdrawn after Gavin had left for ‘school’, and his behavior took a downward spiral as he began cleaning and trying to occupy his mind with something to do until Abby and Gavin came back home.

He realized he’d taken up the most menial, ridiculous chores and tasks for the sake of getting his mind off his anger. He was bent down on the floor, resting on a knee as he cleaned out the grouts of the kitchen tiles.

Ridiculous.

He scrubbed at the floors furiously as his mind swam over and flooded with thoughts of Gavin wasting his time and success for the good of his own future as he hung out with those pathetic excuse for ‘friends’…

He was a lot better than them! Why did he need to talk to them?

Nines didn’t understand it. All he knew was that they all shared a few minor things in common, but Gavin didn’t owe them anything, and wasn’t obligated to be with them!

His hands flew up and down along the tiles as he growled to himself while lost in his thoughts. He should’ve definitely said something to the teenagers in the hallway back when he had the chance!

Damn him for his weakness around Gavin!!

He used to once be a lot stronger, better, wiser, faster!

The bucket of water he had sitting next to him and the chemicals used for cleaning was right beside his right knee, and when Nines lifted his leg up, his kneecap was inches away from knocking it over. In the heat of his anger, he didn’t notice just how close he was getting to it as his hands scraped the tiles and as he maneuvered himself across the wet floor.

Why did he have to hold back? For what?!

Gavin was _his_ , and he clearly wanted him as much as he desired the teenager. So what did it matter?

Couldn’t they be together without friends getting in the way for once?

It just wasn’t fair…

Nines shifted to the right, and in the moment it took for him to extend his leg and balance himself above the floors, his kneecap kicked against the bucket and the chemical, cleaning bottle.

CRASH!!!

The buckets and contents knocked over, and the water and chemicals spilled all over the floors in a second.

Nines looked up when the water ‘swished’ about, and at the exact same time as he looked up, the front door opened as Abby cheerfully called out: “I’m home!!”

He saw red, and he exploded. Grabbing the bucket as hard as he could, he threw it past Abby’s head, and it smashed against a wall behind her in the hallway.

“NIIIIINESSSSSS!” She shrieked and screamed as she held up her hands and ducked in fright, trying to cower down to protect herself while the android raged and let loose. He kicked up a storm as he picked up a random kitchen table chair and flung it wildly across the room. It sailed through the air, smashing against another wall.

Surprisingly, it didn’t split in two, but that seemed to anger him further, and he unleashed the rest of his hellish anger on the objects inside the kitchen, next. LED light fully red, he shoved off the items from the counters, smashing whatever was there down to the floor. Plates shattered, utensils clanged and clattered at his feet, and it _still_ wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy him…

Before he could continue his rampage of destruction, Abby flung herself at him desperately. She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders as she buried her face against his back while sobbing and breathing quickly and heavily in fear and panic.

“NINES!”

He tried throwing her off his back in the middle of the mess he was still trying to create, but she clung for life as she pushed him down hard onto the floor and wrapping her legs around him next.

Due to the floors being wet and slippery however, Nines managed to slip out from beneath her. He wriggled on the floor and was up in a moment, his clothes wet and stained from chemicals and the mess he’d made. He looked down at himself for a moment and shook like a small bush in the harshest of winter storms.

What was he doing?!

Why couldn’t he stop and control himself when his ‘owner’ had ordered him?!

Who was he?!?

Nines felt himself about to explode again, and he just backed away as Abby lay on the floor sobbing and shivering in fright while she cradled her body with her hands and arms. She looked so small and weak, suddenly, but he knew that she’d been the one to help ‘snap’ and break him out of this…

How?

He wasn’t sure, and he backed away until he’d slammed himself up against the patio door leading to the backyard. It was a solid object, and he felt his skull smashing against the glass of the it as he then pressed both palms against it as he closed his eyes.

Thoughts flew into him at a rapid pace, and he only then realized what he’d done.

Control was no longer his; he’d nearly attacked Abby, destroyed the entire house, and he didn’t want to stop, it seemed…

Nines kept his eyes closed as Abby sniffled and sobbed down on the floor.

He wouldn’t apologize; none of that would solve anything or ease away the painful, dull throb resonating deep within his chest.

Was that what it really was? Why was he feeling pain!? It couldn’t have been _that_ …

Only deviants were able to identify with and label something akin to what he was feeling as pain…

He didn’t say any of these to Abby, however. He knew he couldn’t, else he would have to leave the Reed family forever. Perhaps this was why he had exploded in the rage he had displayed earlier, but there was no way he could reveal what he was becoming, and risk losing Gavin for good. No way…

It was time to brush that aside, and be the good ‘household assistant’ android he’d meant to be.

All he did was scramble down to the floor, hurriedly clean up the mess he made, and then he exited the kitchen while Abby was left crying her eyes out.

He hadn’t even bothered to check on her, even after she called to him desperately, need and vulnerability thick in her voice.

Pathetic.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines had breezed past Abby’s office door when she looked up from sitting on her dark futon and curling into herself. She wiped her nose and eyes, though they were still pink, “Nines, get in here, please.”

The urge to roll his eyes and grumble under his breath was too tempting, yet he paused and counted to ‘three’ silently before he headed inside her little office where she conducted her counselling and therapy sessions.

Abby had pulled a little pink pillow resting beside her on the futon against her thighs, and she sighed as she looked up at Nines with caution on her face. He didn’t blame her, however; not when he’d thrown quite the nasty fit downstairs in the kitchen almost an hour ago.

A part of him still didn’t know why he’d reacted that way. It was beyond odd; it was absolutely unacceptable. Household assistant androids were never supposed to engage in behaviors like that, and he was positive Abby Reed was going to announce to him that she was deciding to return him to the CyberLife store, as would be the ultimate, unfortunate fate of any android that was ‘broken’ and no longer useful. That would be the end of everything, for sure, but he wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to forget Gavin…

A memory wipe was more than likely a part of his foreseeable future, as all the other androids in the CyberLife store stated that they thought they’d had it done to them when returned back to the store, but Nines was going to fight that and store a memory of Gavin somehow…

He had to!

“Nines,” Abby let go of a little crumpled tissue, placing it on the pillow as she crossed her knees together. Nines noticed she was shaking, still…

“—have you lately run a diagnostic test on yourself?”

He knew where she was going with this; she wanted to know if he was going deviant. As his owner, Abby Reed had every right to know this information. A deviant household assistant android wouldn’t do anywhere, and he knew that the moment he displayed and presented this information about his software instability to her, he’d be doomed.

Nines had noticed it right after Gavin had kissed him in the bathroom the night of the party. It had appeared like a little warning sign in his system but he at first thought it was nothing more than a mere error. But it came back with a vengeance when he tried ignoring it, and it spiked in intensity whenever he was around Gavin, touching him, kissing him…

Every time they interacted, his software instability had increased and shot through the roof. It wasn’t just a matter of numbers of a percentage creeping up; it was a matter of what he was becoming, where his mind now was, and how it affected his behavior and choices.

He’d tried to conceal it at first, but after he’d made love to Gavin, there was little else he could do aside from hiding everything and holding back until he either lashed out at everyone else, or exploded and self-destructed.

Perhaps honesty was a better policy?

But damn the ramifications!!

Damn his mind!!

Damn weaknesses and vulnerabilities!

He sighed as he clasped his hands behind his back and regarded Abby with caution, “I self-test regularly, Abby.”

Starting out with a truth was good, and she relaxed, but just barely. She still seemed upset and uptight, and she nodded as she ran her tongue along her teeth, humming as if in deep thought.

“That’s all good, Nines,” she pressed out as she played with her long nails, “but I wonder if you’re telling me what you want me to hear, as opposed to telling me the truth…”

Something inside him threatened to snap again, and he had to bury it and push it down as he offered her a blank, neutral gaze.

“I’m not sure what you mean, Abby.”

She looked around the room with a lack of confidence, as if someone else was doing her thinking and talking for her, “I read a lot lately that androids are capable of spying on their owners, and that spotting a deviant is a lot trickier these days…”

He offered her his silence as he listened carefully.

“I’m not trying to accuse you, Nines,” she chewed on her lower lip slowly, “I know that there’s no law binding you to me in service if you’re a deviant, and I would never want to force you to do anything against your will.”

He sensed a huge ‘but’ coming on.

She sat up, “But…if you are becoming a deviant, I’d rather know than not know, because it can change the way I look at you, and the way my son looks at you…”

Wait…

He nearly choked out in panic.

Was Abby implying that she knew what was going on between himself and Gavin?!

Surely not…

No…

They’d been so careful!!

He allowed her to speak, begging himself to maintain a calm, collected composure so he wouldn’t rouse more suspicions from her end.

Abby held her hands together over her nose as she closed her eyes and sighed heavily, “Gavin sees you as a father figure, Nines,” she lowered her hands to her lip, a few fingers of her free hand picking and plucking at the little feathers in the pillow-case-cover, “I’ve never seen him grow so attached to a male figure since Allen left me…”

Oh.

Well then…

This certainly was a relief, but it also changed things… _a lot_.

Nines knew however that whatever Abby was thinking, and whatever impression she’d had in terms of Gavin’s relationship with him, it was far from the truth. But there would be no way for him to reveal that to her, unless he desired being shut down for inappropriate conduct with a minor…

He swallowed that lump in his throat away, banishing the negative thoughts as he fought and struggled hard to smile at Abby.

“I can appreciate that, Abby, but-”

She glared at him as she interrupted, “I’m doing whatever I can for my son’s happiness, and that’s why I brought you in this house to begin with, Nines!”

He already knew that, and the words-though she’d meant them to somehow offend him-hadn’t. Nines had caught onto the fact that his purpose at Abby’s house was only to help Gavin in some way long ago. But what he hadn’t been expecting was for that relationship to grow into something mutually beneficial and lovely…

Bowing his head down slightly, he nodded as he smiled again, “I understand, Abby.”

She clenched the pillow tightly in both hands, “But that doesn’t mean that I also don’t have my own personal needs!!”

He also knew that, too, and it troubled him. Abby’s ‘desires’ and ‘needs’ for him had been absolutely terrifying, and it wouldn’t do him any good simply running away from her, making excuses, or pushing away.

Honesty was the key.

She noticed him pausing and bit her lower lip again. It was swelling up as she chewed on it and tugged her earlobe nervously, “Nines, do I have to spell it out for you?”

Feeling slightly taken back by her brazen, forthcoming attitude, Nines stared at her as his head slowly tilted to the side.

She clenched her fists, and a faint flush crept its way along her face and pooled even down to her neck, “Do I have to _order_ you to sleep with me?!”

The room felt smaller, tighter, and everything else seemed… ‘frozen’ after that point. Nines had heard her perfectly well, but to actually see the meaning behind the words that flew out of Abby Reed’s mouth was something else entirely different. Not that he could dream, but perhaps this was indeed a dream?

He’d been silent for far too long, and she rose from her seat as she flung the pillow down onto the floor with rage as her ears burned red, too.

“You’re supposed to do as I say!” she screamed out into the room, “that includes providing for me as a husband does for his wife!!”

Something in her demeanor snapped Nines out of his reverie. He shook his head as he clicked his tongue against his front teeth, “I’m not your husband, Abby.”

“I know _that_ ,” she threw back at him with anger and malice in her eyes, suddenly, “but you’re practically Gavin’s new father! What difference would having sex with his mother make?”

_A huge, huge, huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge difference._

When he didn’t answer, she took a step closer to him while rolling up the sleeves of her blouse to her elbows, “It is a way for us to get closer, Nines,” she gave him a small, weary glance, “why can’t you have sex with me?”

_Because I’ve already had sex with your son, and I think I love him._

Nines discovered that one of the many biggest drawbacks to being almost fully deviant was picking up the ability to lie and deceive people. He didn’t like that he had to do it lately, but he also didn’t want to be put in a box or a cage any longer. He’d known that life once, and it was tasteless, fruitless, and dark. Why give that up when he’d just barely had a small sample of real freedom?

Gavin had freed him from the life he’d once known, and now that he was liberated and emancipated from it, he was going to enjoy it while he could, and he fully intended to do so _with_ Gavin by his side at all times.

Abby shook her head as she stretched and held out her arms, slowly grabbing the android’s face. Her skin felt feverish, but Nines was unable to break away as he stared at her with wide-open, terrified eyes.

“Nines,” she softly whispered his name like a caress, “we can just try it for one night, one time, see how we both feel…”

What was she propositioning him for?! His mind was already made up!!!

As far as Nines was concerned, he only saw Gavin wherever he went and anytime he closed his eyes. To even _think_ about someone else was an act of betrayal towards Gavin!

The android was about to tell all these to Abby and take many steps backwards until he was well outside the office, when Abby stroked his cheeks and skin as if she were petting a puppy. She hummed as she leaned in close, and most of the light shining in from the window behind her was blocked as her form grew larger and larger as she got in his face closer and closer….

“Please just sleep with me, Nines,” she whispered while her eyelids slowly started falling down, as if someone was pulling on a rope attached to them, much like lowering a curtain.

“—I’m not even mad at you for what happened in the kitchen, handsome…”

She wasn’t?

He felt slightly relieved, but that didn’t entirely explain why she was feeling it necessary to loop her arms around his neck…

If she forgave him, there was no need for this at all!

This didn’t need to happen!

Her eyes closed and she slanted her mouth above his, their lips almost touching…

Nines tried to pull away, but it was as if someone had locked his knees and feet in place. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Internally, he was absolutely raving and panicking, and his LED light flashed red many times. Abby didn’t seem to see it or pay attention as she huffed a few inches away from his mouth, her eyes almost entirely closing, now.

Perhaps it was better to obey his masters than to fight back; after all, he’d never even been given that chance anyway before he was sold to CyberLife’s warehouses…

His eyelids felt heavy, and he stared at the thick, plump feminine lips inches away from meeting his own.

Instinctively, he leaned forward a little.

_I’m so sorry, Gavin…_

Abby let out a content sigh and pressed her body against his, pulling down on his head another half an inch…

_NO!_

He pressed a hand forward, and the tip of his fingers hit Abby right in the chin. Immediately she leapt back with eyes wide. She glared at Nines from head-to-toe for a solid moment before she stomped a foot down and her cheeks turned red, though not from sexual desire or want, but from anger and resentment.

“I can’t do this, Abby,” he stated with sincerity and honesty as she rolled her eyes and pressed a hand to her lips as she shook her head in disbelief.

“Wow…” she pointed at herself, “you’re rejecting me?? Have you even _seen_ anyone like _me_?”

No. He really hadn’t. Abby Reed was definitely one in a million, and if she did not have a son named Gavin with whom Nines was madly in love with, he would have considered her offer. But reality painted a different picture, and he really wanted to be with Gavin, only.

He shook his head, “I have to get Gavin from school now, Abby.” The excuse was just more than a means to getting away; Nines really didn’t want Gavin spending more time with his so-called ‘friends’ than he likely already was. The fact that the drive to the school would also give him a distance between Abby was only an added bonus.

She frowned as she gaped at him and placed a hand on her hip while the other tugged at her earlobe again, “You’re leaving _me_ to go and get my son from school?!”

He managed half a nod before she laughed loudly, “You’d rather spend time with a teenager than with a beautiful, grown woman?”

Thankfully, she hadn’t caught onto their ‘secret’, else Nines would have blushed at that statement. He only scowled at her as he hissed out: “It’s one of my jobs, Abby, you should know that very well.”

She rolled her eyes, “Nines, you need to really know where the line is with Gavin.” This statement shocked him to hear, and he felt drawn to what she had to say, thinking that she perhaps had finally caught on?

He hoped not…

Abby coyly played with a few strands of her hair, and it seemed like she was trying to push down her growing anger, “Nines, I know it may seem like Gavin thinks you’re very cool and interesting right now, but eventually, his interest and fascination with you will die down…”

His insides felt like they were on fire as his LED light spun red, but he was unable to interrupt her, no matter how badly her words stung him.

“He’ll get a girlfriend eventually-whether I want him to or allow him to or not-and life will go back to being boring for the two of us.”

_No…no…_

How could he listen to another minute of her words?

He absolutely had to get out of the house before she really said something that was going to destroy him for good.

She looked up at him, her eyeliner dark and her eyes suddenly so…vicious, “Nines, teenagers are conniving, cunning, and stupid; they play with adults all the time whether they can help it or not, trust me.”

How could this _woman_ even talk like this?! This was her own son she was speaking about!! Didn’t she even realize?

Abby really began disgusting him to his core, and he spun around on his heels before he let loose on her once again. This time however, if he started, he wouldn’t be able to stop, no matter how hard and how much she cried.

She didn’t seem to want to beg or chase after him, however; she merely folded her hands in her lap as she sat back down and placed her pillow on the futon again.

“If I see or hear of one more incident like the one that happened in the kitchen again, Nines,” she yelled out after him as he made his way down the stairs, “I won’t hesitate to call someone from CyberLife and have you sent back.”

Her threat loomed in the air, but he didn’t pay it any mind. He just hung his head low as he prepared to drive to Gavin’s school. There was little else he could really do, anyway.

He slammed the door once again as he made his way into the garage.

Perhaps some of Gavin’s idiosyncrasies really were rubbing off on him, after all…

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines heard birds singing and chirping their spring tunes into the air and skies above as he turned into the parking lot of Gavin’s high school. Summer was going to be very hot and dry this year, the season forecasts predicted, but Nines was actually looking forward to it.

He suspected Gavin was, as well, and as he thought about the teen, he looked around the parking lot as eagerly as an excited child when they received a new toy.

His eyes fell to the back doors of the school, and Nines soon noticed he was counting down the minutes and seconds for Gavin to show up.

Had he always felt this way before seeing the boy? Surely not…

The android found he didn’t mind it all that much as a smile played on the corners of his lips. He just couldn’t wait to see Gavin. As odd as these occurrences were becoming to him, Nines knew he would gain some sense of joy and relief if he heard about how Gavin’s day had gone, what he’d done in school, what he’d eaten for lunch…

It was all quite strange, as he’d never even had these types of thoughts for a fleeting moment when he’d entered the Reed home, but now? They were a second nature to him.

He’d been lost in his thoughts and smiles when the doors swung open. His blue eyes flew up to catch the first sight of Gavin running out of the school and into the parking lot, not wanting to miss a single moment.

Suddenly, Nines felt his anger shooting through the roof, and his eyes turned dark as his LED light beamed red once more.

Gavin had definitely attended school for the day, but he was walking beside the girl named ‘Jill’, and she had an arm draped around Gavin’s neck…

As Nines watched in horror, the teens exchanged a small hug, and he caught the sight of Jill planting a kiss on Gavin’s left cheek before they parted and Jill ran towards her bus stop, and Gavin searched for his mother’s car.

Why?

Why had Gavin allowed her to do that to him!? Why had he let her touch him, kiss him, hold him?!

HOW?

Nines felt frozen, but he honked the horn of the car extremely loudly when Gavin began turning in the opposite direction the car was parked in.

Gavin looked up and located the car and Nines within it immediately. A happy grin broke out on his face, and he waved at Nines as he began picking up the pace and running towards the car with glee and excitement.

The android seated within the car however was _not_ feeling excited and cheerful; quite the opposite, in fact.

He watched as Gavin threw open the backseat door, threw in his schoolbag, and then closed the door as he moved to sit up in the passenger seat next to Nines.

The android glared angrily and viciously at Jill standing at her bus stop while Gavin stated that he’d missed Nines, and asked him how his day was.

As Nines watched the female teenager wave and flag down a bus, he remembered Abby’s cold, horrific words just then. He heard them rattling in his head loud and clear as his eyes clouded over with deep-rooted hatred for the girl.

_“Nines, teenagers are conniving, cunning, and stupid; they play with adults all the time whether they can help it or not, trust me.”_

He didn’t even start the car and leave the parking lot until minutes after the bus had turned down the street, and only until Gavin had yelled and begged at him to tell him what was wrong.

_“…teenagers are conniving, cunning, and stupid…”_

Everyone in the world knew that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abby's such a manipulative wench -_- Now Nines is le pissed le off. Well, he was before, too, but you get me.  
> Honestly, the drama and tension is getting to even ME, my mans, and I wrote this! O.o


	15. Sneaky Thrills

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING!! WEIRD SEXUAL SITUATISHUNNNNN RELATIOSHUNNNZZZZ OF A SUPER WEIRD NATURE*  
> Oral sex. 👀

Dinner had been very uncomfortable that evening in the Reed home. Abby ate hers in the living room, completely ignoring Nines and Gavin while they sat in the kitchen. Gavin didn’t seem to be in a good mood; he was playing with his vegetables and spaghetti, and Nines couldn’t take the sight of his gloomy, downtrodden face any longer after trying to get him to at least smile once.

Abby had taken out all her anger towards her son the moment he’d arrived home. She’d ordered him to look for a job, or he was on his own. Nines sensed that she wasn’t going to really cut her own son off like that, but when he had a minute to be alone with Gavin, he warned the teenager not to argue back with his mother and try not to stick to him so closely…not until the woman’s clients arrived for the evening, anyway.

Gavin had obeyed silently, minding his own business and cleaning up after himself until dinner was over. He’d even volunteered to the dishes…

It was a first, but Abby didn’t seem to care; she merely grumbled something about the fact that Gavin wasn’t supposed to do the dishes by choice, but that he was obligated to do them. Once again, Nines felt Gavin shaking in anger as they stood beside each other and dried off the wet dishes.

When Abby wasn’t looking, Nines rubbed Gavin’s back gently, trying to comfort and console him so he won’t explode right there in front of his mother. He merely gave the teenager a stern look and whispered that they needed to talk, soon.

Abby’s clients arrived shortly before 7 PM, and it was the perfect opportunity for Gavin and Nines to sneak down into the basement. They closed and locked the door behind themselves, and Gavin fell down onto the sofa as Nines paced the room.

The teenager’s eyes never once left the android’s body as he paced, and paced, and paced. He just watched and observed the android walking around until he came to an abrupt stop before him right in front of the sofa.

Nines decided it was a lot better if he just got to the point instead of wasting time with being nice or ‘gentle’. He growled down at Gavin, “Why did Jill kiss you on the cheek today?”

As soon as he’d asked the question, Gavin blushed. The image of it made Nines want to track the girl, abduct her, and ship her off into an island as far away from Detroit as possible.

The teen shrugged, “Nines, she likes me…”

He snarled, “I know that, Gavin!”

_But do you like her?!?_

For once, his mind voiced out what he was worrying and thinking about: “Do you like her?”

Gavin didn’t even hesitate or show doubt, “No.”

He wanted to believe the teenager so badly, but something about what Abby had said had left him in muck and mire. Nines knew he never should have doubted Gavin, but how was he to know whether this was a ‘phase’ or not? He’d done research into human and teenage sexuality; he knew that sometimes teenagers liked experimenting and trying things out until they ‘found themselves’.

There was no way he was going to stand by and let himself by used that way until Gavin knew what he liked or didn’t like.

The teenager fished out a cigarette he’d been hiding in his jogging shorts the entire time and lit it. Nines had no idea how the boy had snuck it inside the basement with him without the him having detected it, but it angered him. He was always slipping around Gavin Reed...

He roared and leaned down, snapping the cigarette in half when he yanked it out of Gavin’s fingers.

“ _This_ shit is bad for you!”

The teen gasped and stammered, “Nines, that was my last fuckin’ cigarette…”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

Gavin ran a hand through his hair with a worried expression on his face, “Okay, well,” he just shrugged, then, “if you think I’m gonna ditch you and go fuck Jill, then it just shows me how much you really know me or care about me.”

The android tapped a finger on his chin as he studied Gavin’s face for anything that would give away deception or misleading information, “You showed interest in her before,” he pointed out the fact clearly, “what changed now?”

Gavin snorted and raised an eyebrow, “What kind of a monster do you think I am?”

Nines glared at him silently.

“I’m not some god damn horn dog ready to bone everything that moves!”

Remembering his biology and youth, Nines snarled angrily, “But you’re a teenage _male--_ ,” he heard Gavin snort as he whispered: ‘whatever’, but he ignored it as he went on.

“—and if a teenage girl is throwing herself at you like that, do you really think you’ll be able to hold her back?”

It was an honest question, but Gavin didn’t want to hear it. He just shook his head as he snapped his lighter shut and pocketed it. His eyes met Nines’ in a heated glare, “Screw you, Nines.”

As he rose to get away from Nines, the android reached a hand out. It slammed against Gavin’s chest, and he was shoved back down to the sofa.

Nines peered down at him with dark, hungry eyes as he leaned a long leg down between Gavin’s, spreading his legs swiftly and almost expertly.

“You think I don’t know you?” He dropped himself down on top of the boy, lips inches away from his own, “maybe _this_ will serve as a good reminder for you, then.”

Their lips crashed together violently as Nines yanked on the back of Gavin’s neck to hold him down in place. Gavin didn’t seem to mind the clashing of teeth and tongues; his eyes shut tightly, and he draped a leg over Nines while the android’s tongue fucked his mouth lewdly.

As Gavin’s hands snuck and wove around to softly cup Nines’ cheeks, the android tore his mouth off Gavin’s as he rose to his feet.

“The hell-”

Nines stood before Gavin, but when the teenager tried to stand up as well, Nines pushed him down with a hand, “Don’t,” he instructed as his other hand flew down to the fly of his jeans in a hurry, “lie back down, and listen to _everything_ I say…”

As Gavin watched with curious eyes, Nines dropped his black jeans down almost until they hit the middle of his thighs. He didn’t lower his boxers completely though, but he was stroking himself through the lowered half of them.

Gavin began whining in need and desperation the longer he watched Nines stroking himself until he was almost fully erect.

“Hush,” the android cooed at him as he nodded over at the left-hand armrest of the couch, “place your head on it, and lie perfectly still and straight.”

Gavin reached out to grab Nines’ cock, but the android slapped his hand roughly, “Obey, Gavin.”

Knowing he had no other choice, the teenager moved over towards the left-hand-armrest and placed his head down over it as he stared up at the ceiling with rose-colored cheeks as he placed a hand on his chest.

Nines shifted as he stood right behind the armrest, cock hanging out and in his palm as he tilted his head down at the teenager lying flat on the couch. Their eyes met, and Gavin whined again as his toes curled.

Nines knew he was hard as well, but he only snickered sadistically as he grabbed Gavin’s right arm and placed it around the base of his cock.

The boy’s hand flew up backwards behind his head, and he tilted his head strangely at Nines in confusion. He knew better than to stop, though, and he allowed Nines to arrange his hand in the perfect way he wanted it as Nines removed his own hand from beneath Gavin’s.

“Now,” he whispered sensually, “I want you to touch me like you would yourself, but you also have to suck me.”

Gavin gasped, “But I can-”

A finger was shoved in his mouth, suddenly, silencing him at once.

Nines snickered softly, “Let’s put that mouth to better use, hmm?”

Gavin gasped a pleasurable gasp when he licked and slowly stroked the android’s index finger in his mouth.

Nines hummed, “Good, and don’t forget about your hand…”

At once, the teenager began stroking him, tilting his head until he was at a better angle as he stared up at Nines while blushing and groaning. Nines was careful not to force Gavin with his finger; only circling the tip of the boy’s tongue with it before pulling back and running the saliva-coated digit around Gavin’s lips, tracing them softly and slowly.

Gavin’s hand worked his cock carefully, and as inexperienced and unpracticed as he was, he still managed to get Nines fully hard after a few firm pumps.

The teenager’s eyes widened as they fixated on Nines’ slit, “You’re gonna cum in my eyes!”

Nines chuckled deeply, “Silly boy, I’m not even there yet…” he looked at Gavin’s throat, running his wet finger along it as he let out a soft sigh, “suck me.”

“Fuck…” Gavin trembled, “but I don’t know how to do this…”

Nines stroked his cheek with his finger, now, “You were doing just fine before, Gavin,” he encouraged lightly as his cock twitched and ached, begging for the feeling of being inside something moist and warm.

“Go slowly, and I’ll guide you along the way.”

Gavin nodded, licking his lips as he shifted and shimmied up the sofa until his head was angled back. He frowned, “This is such a weird position!!”

Trying to make sure he hadn’t read the signs incorrectly and improperly, Nines raised a brow and regarded Gavin with precaution, “Do you want to stop, Gavin?”

He was sincere and genuine, and Gavin bit his lip as he shook his head, “No.”

The android spat out quickly, “Because I’m not going to push you to do something you’re not comfortable with.”

Gavin merely swatted his ass, “I’m not a little frightened girl, Nines,” he licked his lips sensually and with a naughty glint in his eyes he winked at Nines, “I’m waiting for you to show me what you’ve got.”

Nines only growled in a light warning. The teenager gasped, and loosened his jaw as he closed his eyes and made his tongue poke out in the air. The tip of it met the android’s slit, and both men gasped and leapt apart for a second.

“Continue!” Nines ordered as he grabbed Gavin’s hand and wrapped it more firmly against his cock as he leaned down and untucked Gavin’s length from the confine of his own shorts.

Knowing his own pleasure wasn’t ignored or forgotten encouraged and relaxed the boy. He lips relaxed around Nines’ tip, nearly causing the android to collapse to his knees. He was able to muster his strength as he leaned over the couch and took Gavin’s cock in his hand and jerked him in well-practiced motions.

Gavin focused on the pleasure his cock was receiving for a moment, letting the one in his mouth dangle out from between his lips. It earned him the punishment of Nines pulling his hand away, and Gavin cried out in anguish as he gaped up at Nines.

Nines bent his neck and snarled at Gavin. The teenager continued in a heartbeat. His lips sought out the cock poking against his nose, and he licked and nuzzled it at first, and Nines nearly laughed.

It seemed as if Gavin were playing and kissing with a pet; not someone’s penis, but he allowed the boy to explore and feel as comfortable as he needed to. He didn’t push or force Gavin, no matter how needy and aroused he currently was. He let the teenager take all his time as he slowly let the heavy cock rest at the bottom of his mouth before his tongue rolled around it and pushed it inside his mouth, deeper.

Grunting, Nines had to bite his lower lip to keep and restrain himself from grabbing the sides of Gavin’s face and brutally fucking his mouth. He instead distracted himself with lazy strokes, not wanting to make the teenager cum immediately.

Trying to drag it out for as long as he could, Nines simply stroked him as slowly and firmly as he could while Gavin picked up a weird rhythm of his own around his cock buried inside his mouth. He wasn’t moving his hand as often as he was his tongue or head, but Nines didn’t push him as he moaned softly. His moans and soft cries of joy let the teenager know whatever he was doing truly pleased him. Gavin’s tongue was still doing wonderful things for him, and it was enough to keep him pleased.

His cock nearly slipped out of the teen’s mouth a few times when Gavin did try to move his head and hand, and he breathed a puff of hot air against Nines’ balls as he pushed away his frustration with himself for not getting this right.

If only he knew what he was doing to Nines anytime he huffed and puffed against his heavy balls, but again, Nines had to fight back and keep calm while Gavin went at his own pace.

Nines began firmly stroking him and twisting down on the end of the teen’s wanton cock now, which made Gavin completely stop licking and sucking, and instead jerking him off exactly as he was. This was just fine as well, and soon, Nines knew his penis was out and resting on Gavin’s chin while the boy used both hands to bring him closer to the edge.

They fought hard to keep their voices down, and Nines heard a loud moan or two escape his own mouth. Not knowing how else to keep quiet, he leaned down over Gavin carefully and swallowed his cock as much as he could. His mouth encased and engulfed Gavin, and the boy suddenly bit down hard on his abdomen as he came in hot spurts inside his mouth.

That was all it took for Nines to arrive to completion, himself. He tore his mouth off Gavin and reared up before he could shoot in Gavin’s eyes. His fast reflexes helped him in moving away from the couch as he stroked himself a few times and came inside his boxers at the last second while he ground out Gavin’s name in a husky, deep tone.

The boy on the couch was a mess, but he didn’t seem to mind as he lay there limply while he closed his eyes and panted roughly.

Again and again, Nines felt that he was wetting himself, but he tried ignoring the weird feeling as he shook and swayed to stand up properly and adjust his clothing the best way he could.

Gavin inhaled sharply as he covered his eyes with his hands and cried out in shame, “You must think I suck at giving head!!”

Nines snickered, “Pun intended, Gavin?”

The boy hissed out, “I’m serious, Nines!!”

Nines studied him for a moment in silence, shock all over his face as he cleaned himself up with a work-out towel in the corner of the room. Gavin tucked himself back in his shorts as he sat up and turned his back to Nines.

He was shy…

Nines snickered as he gripped the towel and ran a hand through his hair, not caring that he was messing it up. “Your mother wants to sleep with me.” He figured it was the best time to be honest about it, as Gavin had likely been nothing short of honest with him.

Fair was fair, after all.

Gavin whipped around as he pointed a finger at Nines, “I fuckin’ _knew_ it!!” He leapt onto his feet as he glared at Nines, “God damn cheater!”

A hand was held up in defense, “Woah, Gavin, I haven’t ever-”

“You accused _me_ of cheating, when you’re likely also flirtin’ with my mom?! Wow!!!” Gavin snapped his fingers as he shook his head and backed away.

“No fuckin’ way, Nines!”

“Gavin…”

“No!!”

Nines quirked a brow, “Gavin, did you just allude to us being a romantic couple?” He’d gone over his words in his mind, and Gavin had in fact talked about ‘cheating’….

They were together?

Since when?

Gavin’s eyes flew open widely as his jaw fell and he gasped and sputtered, “I didn’t…I meant…I…fuck!!”

Nines rolled his eyes as he held out a hand, “Come here.”

“Nines you son of a-”

He glared, “Then I’ll just grab you.”

Before the teenager had time to process everything, Nines snaked a long hand around the back of his shirt collar, and yanked him towards his chest. Gavin collided into Nines, but in a flash, the android yanked his chin up and placed a deep kiss over his lips.

The boy clawed at Nines desperately, biting and nipping his lips until Nines pulled back from the kiss and glared at him.

“You taste like me!!” Gavin hissed as he wiped the back of his lips with a hand, and it made the android roll his eyes and sigh.

“Well I would wonder why…”

A hand latched onto his own shirt, suddenly, and Gavin’s lips were inches away from his own as his eyes twinkled with mischief, “I never said it was a bad thing, bitch…”

Nines groaned as he sought out Gavin’s mouth again as he deepened their kiss more, however that was possible. He felt Gavin relaxing in his arms, and suddenly, from upstairs, the floorboards creaked and shifted.

People were moving.

Reluctant to break the kiss, Nines merely pressed Gavin against a wall as he continued licking and biting his way inside the teen’s mouth. Every time Gavin made a sensual noise that was a tad too loud, Nines quickly pressed his hand against his mouth to silence him as Abby and her clients descended the stairs.

With eyes that practically begged to be touched, Gavin nuzzled against the android’s neck. Nines withdrew his hand slightly and began littering Gavin’s neck and throat with nibbling and rounds of heated kisses that soon made Gavin semi-hard again.

Nines nipped his ear, “Your libido astounds me to no end, Gavin.”

Gavin responded by yanking down his shorts again and simply rubbing the tip of his cock against the opening of Nines’ zipper when his fingers had tugged that down in a swift motion, too.

The android stared down at his half-hard cock, a coy grin forming on his lips. “Aroused again already? How slutty, Gavin…”

The boy frowned for a moment, “Hey! I’m not a slu-aaahhh-oooooh!!!!!!!”

Nines had rolled his hips forward, gently and carefully rubbing himself against Gavin as he palmed the teenager’s length. Gavin’s head fell back and he tugged and gripped Nines’ strong hip in a hand as he shivered while he slowly got a little harder in the android’s palm.

Warm kisses showered his cheeks, pecking over the tip of his nose, moving over to his jaw, tracing the length of bone there from side-to-side until a tongue licked a little line upwards from his chin to his lower lip.

Gavin met Nines’ tongue halfway, licking it and nibbling on it before he grabbed the android’s face and forced a deep kiss on him, which Nines happily provided as their tongues danced and snaked around each other while their hips engaged in their own ‘foreplay’.

But before they could go further, Nines slammed against him, pressing him into the wall as he whispered: “Don’t move or make a sound.”

Muffled nonsense escaped from between his clamped fingers over the boy’s mouth, but then the basement door was opening…

Zipping both Gavin and himself up quickly, Nines’ LED light blared red, and soon, Gavin’s PS4 video game console and the TV were turned on.

They broke away from each other, and in another few seconds, Abby’s feet were practically floating down the steps. She really was looking for them, but it almost seemed as if she wanted to catch them doing something… ‘horrible’…

Her eyes were dark and angry when she turned on the basement hallway lights, and she frowned when she saw Nines sitting on the black sofa, and Gavin was loading a game on his PS4. The sight of it was innocent enough, yet she was clearly in a bad mood as she noticed a little white towel beneath the left-hand corner of the sofa.

It set her off, and she frowned at Gavin, “Gavin, instead of playing video games, why don’t you clean up a little?”

Before he could say anything, she turned and scowled heatedly at Nines, “And _you’re_ supposed to be encouraging him to do a little work around here; not showing off his sniping techniques online!”

Gavin snorted, “I was just-”

“Did you do your homework?” She didn’t even give him a chance to finish his sentence, but when he wavered, she rolled her eyes and headed back up the steps.

“Exactly what I thought,” she hissed over her shoulder, and then turned around and faced them both when she was on the third step.

She looked at Nines, first, then Gavin, “And from now on, don’t lock the basement door,” she sighed, “I had a difficult time finding the skeleton key for the house, and if god forbid a fire happens in the room…well,” she shook her head, “just keep it unlocked.”

And she was then gone, slamming the door behind her.

Nines placed a hand on his forehead and wondered if the art of slamming doors was something that was specifically gifted to the Reeds or not. It seemed to be a shared character trait among the members of the family he’d met so far, anyway.

When Abby’s footsteps echoed above on the second-floor of the house, Gavin turned off his PS4 console and turned around to look at Nines bashfully. The android held out a hand, “It’s okay, she’s gone.”

Gavin rubbed his arms, “I feel gross all over…”

So did Nines, but he felt it was more because they nearly could have been caught by Abby had he not connected to the PS4 sooner.

Nines looked up at the ceiling in thought, “Nothing like a good old bath to solve that one, huh?”

Excitedly, Gavin threw himself over beside Nines and held his hands in his own as he leaned his forehead against the android’s. They enjoyed their little moment of peace and silence as they closed their eyes and held hands as the house fell quiet.

Nines didn’t want to move, but he knew they eventually had to. Gavin’s hair began spreading across his forehead and over his eyelids, and he opened them to see the boy leaning over him and planting a small kiss on his nose.

Nines chuckled warmly, “What was that for?”

The teenager blushed in response, “Just returnin’ that little kiss…”

Nines hummed, “I remember that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They clasped their hands tightly together, as Nines was already leaning the way to the large bathtub upstairs, with Gavin following him as he giggled while watching the android’s tight ass move in his jeans.

He really could get used to this sight for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Nines Nines Nines *Shakes head* thou art entering tomfoolery and the fine art of being whipped.


	16. Our Lullaby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING! BATH TUB SMUT AND SMEXY TIMES! BRING YOUR RUBBER DUCKY THO! 😁🦆🐤👅 *

Nines had to wait for Gavin to turn on the water in the tub, stay in the bathroom for at least fifteen minutes while the tub filled and got warm, and then he snuck inside to join his lover.

Abby’s bedroom was shut tightly, but the TV inside it was blaring some kind of program. However, seeing as she was lately in the mood to snoop around and catch them both off-guard, to try to throw her off, Nines also locked Gavin’s bedroom door after he’d turned on the TV to a random sports channel to make it seem like Gavin was watching something before he entered the bathroom.

He found the teenager already disrobing, and he soon dipped his fingers inside the half-full tub as he smiled at Nines, “We’re almost good, just gonna get some lavender bubble-shit.”

Nines laughed at the description of that product as he threw off his clothes in a heap next to Gavin’s while the boy dumped a little bit of the contents of the bath bubble jar inside the tub. It soon became evident to Nines that the teenager was delaying the process on purpose-probably not wanting to actually see the other male naked.

Why was he so uncomfortable? After everything they had done together??

Nines knew he was shy for sure when Gavin’s face was heated and flushed, and even the tips of his ears were pink as he swallowed audibly and set down the jar of bath bubbles. He leaned against the edge of the tub, but Nines saw him staring at his body out of his peripheral vision.

_Insatiable, aren’t we?_

He would have preferred it if the boy could fully look at him, but he didn’t wish to make him uncomfortable. He simply placed a hand on his lower back and let it rest there, just to let him know he desired to be close, and he was ‘here’.

The adolescent spun around carefully, looking down at the android’s bare feet for a moment. He studied him very carefully, eyes circling around his muscles, the length of bone, and then grazing upwards towards his thighs. Nines noticed Gavin was purposefully avoiding staring at his exposed cock, but he didn’t mind it as he gently rested his hand on the teen’s shoulder now.

Gavin let it rest there for a while as he took in the view of the hip bones that were well-defined and jutted out enough like a male model’s would, the abs that flexed eerily enough whenever he looked at them, and the rest of the smooth, hairless skin that decorated the android’s body. He really was a magnificent sight to look at, and Gavin was distracted by massaging and feeling how thick and defined the triceps and biceps of the android’s arms were when the tub had completely been filled.

Once everything was ready, Gavin took Nines’s hand in his own, and they sat down in the tub back-to-chest; Nines seated against the farthest end of the tub, while Gavin sat against his chest.

They were comfortable like that for almost ten minutes when Gavin wanted to stretch his legs. So he moved towards the opposite end of the tub and faced Nines. He dragged his legs and tucked them against his chest, the bubbles coming up to his nipples as they hid everything Nines liked out of sight. He hated to admit it, but his body was already reacting plenty well to their intimacy and close proximity as the memories of their encounters flooded his mind.

He snickered at the teen as he watched him pop a few bubbles with his index finger, “It’s probably a lot better that you moved away from me.”

They kept their voices low, and Gavin whispered: “Why’s that?”

Nines raised an unimpressed eyebrow, “Still too innocent, are we Gavin?”

The boy gasped, “You mean you want to bang me again?”

Nines rolled his eyes, “I wish you would stop referring to it as that, but yes…” he chuckled, “I would like to ‘bang you’, yes.”

The boy cooed in a mocking tone, “I’m _so_ glad you’re practicing your sexual techniques on me, Nines,” he stated in a joking manner which the android caught on to as he splashed him in the face playfully.

“Well yes,” Nines laughed softly, “everyone knows you have to test-drive a car before you buy it, right?”

Gavin nodded, “Totally.”

They snickered and giggled for a while, before their smiles died down and they both seemed like they were deep in thought. Nines was sure of his own feelings and thoughts, but he didn’t want to poke and pry Gavin for information. He trusted that whenever the boy was ready, he would disclose how he felt, as that was probably how natural progressions of relationships went…

_Relationships…_

_He said that we were in a relationship in a subtle way…_

But were they??

Nines wasn’t entirely sure, but so far, from his research, observations, as well as what was documented and presented in human culture for well over a thousand years now, they seemed to have many things in common and displayed when it came to humans and ‘relationships’…

In order to be classified as in a ‘relationship’, the two people involved had to be close, trusting of one another, communication, obviously hold and express sexual feelings towards one another, and be headed almost in the same path towards the same, common goal.

They were in a relationship?

He cleared his throat, “Gavin,” immediately, the words had died down. Why?!

Why was he suddenly so inept?!

Nines chastised himself for it while the teenager gathered a little horde of bubbles up to his chin as he slowly slid back deep within the tub. He was almost invisible, now; the bubbles floating high above him in the air as they flew through the air and popped high above their heads.

It amused both of them, but Nines gazed down at Gavin once again as he swallowed and tried formulating his sentence again.

“Gavin,” he scratched his arm, even though it wasn’t itchy, and there was no need for it…

What was he doing?!

Eventually, the teenager sat up, clearly having had enough of the awkwardness. He moved towards the center of the tub, reaching down between their bodies and feeling blindly around for Nines’s hands. When he located one, he pulled it up to the surface of the tub and studied it as water dripped down from each of the fingers, sliding down to his wrists, and dangling off his forearm.

“I never got to really take a good look at you without your clothes when we…” he blushed, and Gavin snickered as he studied Nines’s firm, toned chest next.

His hand rubbed it and felt its smoothness as Gavin sighed softly, “You’ve literally got no hair anywhere…”

Worried, Nines peered down at his hand instead of his eyes, “Does that trouble or bother you?”

Gavin gently reached out and draped the back of his hand against his chest, “No,” his hand fell away and downwards towards the center of his abdomen as he smiled at what he saw and felt of Nines there, “I think you’re amazing, Nines.”

The android smirked, “You don’t like body hair?”

The boy smirked back, “I’m not even really sure if I like men, you know…”

He was both relieved and devastated to hear this. On one hand, Nines didn’t want Gavin looking at other guys (or girls) to confirm his sexuality. He couldn’t stand the thought of Gavin with anyone else at all. But at the same time, if the boy didn’t like men, then why had he allowed Nines to touch him? To sleep with him? To kiss him?

He was confused, but he kept it out of his demeanor and face. He wanted Gavin to enjoy this moment, regardless of whatever he felt, thought, or needed to say to him. He would hear it with an open mind as best as he could, but it was difficult not to feel hurt or disappointed by some things the teenager was admitting to.

Nines placed a hand over the edge of the tub and propped it against his temple as he tilted his head down at Gavin. The teenager was currently occupied with studying his chest and nipples, and he confirmed his curiosity with them as he reached a finger forward and pressed it against one of Nines’ nipples.

The android’s breath audibly hitched, “Gavin…”

It was too late.

Gavin threw himself forward at Nines, suddenly, lips capturing his own. The boy’s lips felt like burning silk against his own and Nines moaned with sudden need. Curse him for enjoying this yet again. He needed to really talk to Gavin about something important…

He flung himself away from Gavin abruptly, eyes narrowed as he raked his gaze over the boy. Gavin stumbled back against the wall of the tub, hands flying out to catch himself, staring incredulously at the lust-filled android. He licked his lips unconsciously, and Nines’ breath audibly hitched and got caught in his throat.

Nines held up a hand, “Please compose yourself and listen to me for a moment…”

How was he even to start this topic?

Perhaps honesty and a dash of being blunt would do it…yes…that would do nicely.

He cleared his throat, “Your mother isn’t so shy about getting rid of me if I happen to… ‘slip-up’, somehow…”

Gavin raised a brow, “The fuck does that mean?”

A snarl came from the android, and the teen gave him a sympathetic moue. “Don’t keep swearing like that, Gavin,” Nines warned softly as he tried getting his anger together, despite feeling he was slipping far under Gavin’s spell.

The teen licked his lower lip, and Nines felt his arousal rising up slowly.

God damn it.

He turned his head away from Gavin, “You really need to change your behavior.”

A wet fingertip trailed over his nipples before sliding downwards. Gavin smirked, “I’ve already gotten in enough trouble to last the y-mphm!”

Nines’ lips crushed his, cutting off the flow of words that Gavin had already forgotten about, and he moaned as he felt the heat of lust and arousal spiking in his blood. Nines had once again plundered his mouth, laying claim to it. But this time Gavin- after the initial shock- was ready for it, and wrapped his arms around the android’s neck, hitching himself up against the taller man’s body.

He writhed against Nines, pressing his body as close as he dared, then gasped with shock as he was shoved up against the back of the tub roughly as the water and bubbles sloshed around them and rose up into the air from the force of their movements. Gavin moaned as Nines wrapped one arm around his waist and passed the other under his left leg, hitching it up until it was wrapped around the android’s waist, and the adolescent whimpered as he was pressed so intimately against Nines.

Although they’d had sex and done far more intimate things than merely kissing, Gavin couldn’t help but blush away as Nines touched him everywhere.

Nines was ruthless in his claiming; biting Gavin’s lips and soothing them with small licks, hand gripping his side mercilessly, no doubt leaving marks once again much like in the way he’d gripped him in the basement. But Gavin hardly felt the demanding hand- his lips tingled from the mere touch of Nines’ against his, and he tasted something spicy in the other male’s mouth that he knew hadn’t been there before.

Gavin tore his mouth away from Nines for a mere moment, long enough to breathlessly ask: “Were you drinking?”

Nines merely looked at him with an unimpressed glance, and responded, “Does it matter?” Truthfully, he’d been drinking a little since he found he suffered no ill-effects from the coffee. He wasn’t sure what had tempted him to try alcohol in the first place, but he was unable to stop himself from chasing after it when Abby had been with her client, and right before his little ‘romp’ with Gavin.

He didn’t wait for a response; he reclaimed Gavin’s lips as they opened to speak, and the only thing the teenager ended up uttering was a low moan that rumbled through both of their bodies.

Gavin started getting dizzy from the liquor on his lips. The adolescent doubted he would ever feel this way about anyone else, and he clung desperately to Nines, as if the android was somehow going to disappear or was a dream.

He gasped as Nines left his mouth and trailed down to his neck, tilting his head to give the other man better access. Sharp teeth bit into his skin and he cried out in shock, jerking against Nines at the unexpected sensuality of the bite. Heat flared from everywhere he was touching Nines, and where the android’s lips were connected to his skin felt like an inferno to the young teen.

His left leg tightened around the other male’s surprisingly strong waist, and Gavin let his head tilt back until it rested on the back of the tub close to the wall. He stared sightless at the dark ceiling, overwhelmed with sensation. Nines left the spreading bruise on his neck to trail his lips across Gavin’s exposed skin, licking and nipping at the long, pink-white column of his throat, pressing soft kisses to the teen’s jawline, and retaking his place at Gavin’s lips afterwards.

Nines’ dark blue eyes were intent as they drank in the sight of Gavin coming undone in his arms, and Gavin’s grey-blue eyes slid shut against the unexpected sight of pure desire. The hand not attached to Gavin’s waist roamed, cupping the boy’s ass and measuring the length of the lean thigh wrapped around his waist.

Gavin burned from all of the contact and pushed his ass into Nines’ hand in mute supplication. The powerful and sensual android hissed against his lips and gripped the teen’s ass hard enough to bruise. This earned a moan from Gavin into Nines’ mouth, and hitched himself tighter up against his lover, demanding more, silently. Nines seemed happy to oblige, flexing his hand on Gavin’s pert ass and jerked the teen forward. Gliding through the warm water, the adolescent gasped at the contact, and shamelessly rubbed himself against the other man.

Nines, however, stilled at the teenager’s motions. The kiss turned slow; exploratory rather than demanding, more sensual and less of a welcome invasion. He gently coaxed Gavin’s leg off of his waist, and the hand that had been welded to the teen’s hip rose to caress and the cup his cheek. Gavin whimpered at the change, and clutched Nines’s chest to drag him closer. He was completely surrounded by the strong android- trapped securely between his legs and arms.

Gavin opened his eyes to look at Nines and sighed against the android’s lips at the sight. All of Nines’ attention was focused on him- it was a heady sense of power, Gavin thought vaguely as his lids slid shut once more. The kiss was hardly more than lips moving together, now, and soon enough, it wasn’t even that anymore.

Nines pulled away, resting his forehead against Gavin’s own. The teen couldn’t resist one more kiss and stole it from the other man, who allowed it only long enough to breathe something that might have been a chuckle, or perhaps a whisper?

The teenager loved the sound of whatever it was Nines was doing, and he floated upwards in the water as their cocks brushed against each other’s once, barely.

It lit a fire between them, and Gavin sighed out, “Please fuck me, Nines.”

The android shook his head sternly, “I’d much prefer doing that on a bed as opposed to within a heated tub.”

Gavin whined as he pressed down and sought out that delicious friction whenever his cock jilted against the other male’s, “Please, Nines,” he panted, practically, “I need to feel you!”

“No,” the android chuckled, and transferred both of Gavin’s wrists into one hand. “I believe I implied that that would take place in a bed.” He took the teen’s momentary distraction to tip Gavin’s chin up and expose his neck, lowering his head to press his lips to his pounding pulse. His free hand wandered down the teen’s body, and Gavin sucked in a breath as freezing fingers danced across his abdomen, already heading up his chest to pluck and pull at his hard-tipped nipples.

He let his head fall back as Nines’ lips whispered along his neck, barely touching but exploring everywhere, eyes sliding shut as a thumb smoothed along his hip bone. Gavin inhaled sharply as his lover bit down on his collarbone, jolting with the sensation. Nines’ hand tightened on his hip, bound to leave bruises, but Gavin found he didn’t really give a damn when the android’s lips were doing that.

The other man released Gavin’s wrists, and used both of his hands to force the teen further into the wall of the tub, crowding into him and coming in full contact with the adolescent’s cock and balls. He left Gavin’s neck reluctantly, leaving a blossoming bruise that would no doubt begin to ache in a short while. Gavin turned his face towards his lover, opening his eyes and leaning up and into warm lips. The teenager’s hands travelled along Nines’ lean body, dipping beneath the water and coming to rest at his waist, fingering plucking at where his cock was hidden between his legs.

Gavin took Nines’ lack of protest as permission, and swiftly wrapped a hand around the android’s cock, sliding his hands along the wet, heated skin. His lover pulled away from the kiss to stare at him, and Gavin smiled, not stopping his hands from tracing muscles and parts of Nines he couldn’t yet see.

Nines narrowed his eyes at the teen, though he turned his attention elsewhere. Gavin’s warm hands explored his abdomen, hips, and waist and the android shut his eyes briefly as he envisioned a different scenario. But he turned his attention towards Gavin once again, determined, and shoved his hands beneath the bathwater as he once again pressed his lips feverishly to Gavin’s.

The adolescent gasped; Nines’ hands had only slightly warmed up, but they were gripping him firmly in an area no one had ever touched before and his grip on the android’s waist tightened. He moaned into the kiss, dragging Nines’ hips against his and rocking against him as the other man explored. Nines knocked Gavin’s legs further apart and crushed the two of them even closer together, reveling in the hands that had travelled to his back and were now holding onto him. His own hands were full of Gavin- digging his fingers into the teen’s ass and grabbing handfuls of firm skin. Their cocks were deliciously rubbing as they slid against each other, and they were both fueled more by this.

The teen broke free of the kiss, panting for air and stared wide-eyed at Nines. Gavin was burning up from the inside, legs trembling from the weight of the need coursing through him.

“Shit,” Gavin bit out, dropping his head onto Nines’s shoulder, bowing his back and shaking at the sensations. “Please, for fucks sake, Nines!”

“What do you want me to do, Gavin?” Nines whispered silkily into the teen’s ear, breath hot against already burning skin. Gavin’s hands clenched onto the smooth skin of Nines’ back at the sound of his given name, hips jerking fiercely against the android’s as his breath shuddered in his throat.

“Fuck, shit.” Gavin panted, taking his head away from the crook of Nines’s neck to drop it against the wall of the tub. “Do something. Anything!!!”

“Well, since you asked so nicely.”

Gavin could barely form a smile at the sarcasm, his lips quivering at the sight his lover made.

Nines withdrew one hand from rubbing his cock, ignoring the pout at the action, and reached around his back as he spread the teen’s cheeks. He paused, thoughtfully, eyeing the boy’s face carefully for signs of discomfort of worry. After a few moments he felt it was okay to continue, especially when Gavin was desperately trying to jerk them both off sloppily.

He grazed his knuckles over the hole resting between Gavin’s cheeks. Nines tucked his fingertips into the divide there and groaned softly when Gavin began palming the skin of his hip as he sank his free hand lower and rubbed the android’s balls.

A hand was now on the android’s nipples before it flew up to rub around his neck. It traveled upwards, the boy sinking his hand into the hair at the base of the android’s skull. He quivered, afraid to move, breath coming in gasps as he felt the Nines’ other hand rub against his opening. Although the android was sure he moved gently, every new touch made Gavin jump, jerking into the sensation and only increasing his already all-consuming need.

Nines explored slowly, monitoring how the teen was reacting, and smiled sharply to himself. The long fingers of one hand began to move, tracing patterns into Gavin’s skin but obviously with a destination in mind. Nines’ other hand held fast, massaging the globe of flesh and opening up the path. Gavin’s heart beat even harder in his chest as a finger traced up and down the seam of his ass, followed by another, and then a third.

Nines began to move rhythmically against the teen now, and Gavin hissed, jolting up and into the motion as the android’s long fingers touched him.

He stared up at his lover, flushed and panting, and Nines smiled benignly at the sight of an over-heated, lustful Gavin Reed. His fingers circled Gavin’s puckered rim, and the teen gasped, pulling himself impossibly closer to the other man and wrapping his leg around Nines’ waist, unintentionally giving the android better access.

Nines laughed quietly and pressed a kiss to the boy’s lips, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and biting gently. Gavin moaned, overflowing with sensation and turned the bite into another kiss, open mouthed and sloppy, writhing against his lover. Nines’ rhythm never faltered, dragging Gavin to the edge and holding him there, trembling, needing a push but never quite giving it to him.

“Please, Nines, please,” Gavin tore his mouth from the android’s long enough to stare into brilliant blue eyes for a moment before returning to the mouth he was addicted to.

Nines smirked into the kiss, reveling in the fact that he had Gavin completely at his mercy, and thrust his fingers against Gavin harder, rubbing his fingers over the teen’s hole. Momentarily forgetting their cocks, Gavin’s hands fell down to his lap as he cried out in shock into Nines’ mouth as he came, shuddering against his lover uncontrollably. The android didn’t stop until Gavin was completely finished, shaking and sobbing in breaths as his heart beat slowly began to return to normal.

Nines withdrew his fingers from Gavin’s ass, resting one hand on the teen’s waist and using the other to lift the boy’s lips back to his, pressing a kiss to them that Gavin blindly returned.

“I think that is enough… distraction for one night,” Nines said ponderously, hand still cupping Gavin’s cheek.

The teen’s eyes were rolling back into his head as he sighed from the overpowering sense of pleasure he’d no doubt still been feeling. The sight of it was enough to make Nines want to carry him to his bedroom and make love to him until dawn, but he knew the teenager wouldn’t be able to physically handle that.

Majority of the bubbles were fading and bursting away while the water had grown a little cooler in temperature…it was time to get out of the tub.

Nines gently held onto Gavin as he drained the tub. He helped the teenager dress, hanging him a towel and then tenderly using it to rub and gather majority of the water out of the boy’s hair when he had no energy to do it himself.

Whoever knew sex could be so depleting in terms of energy…

They hurriedly dressed as best as they could in silence, and Gavin snuck out of the bathroom first as Nines hung back and waited at least five minutes before silently and gracefully entering Gavin’s bedroom.

Abby was fast asleep, thankfully, and it was time for them to turn in, as well.

He tucked the teenager in his bed comfortably before joining Gavin under his sheets. They shifted until they both had enough room, and then Nines lay flatly on his back while Gavin tucked and folded a leg between his and rested his head against his chest.

Nines played with his hair strands a little, every so often pausing to kiss Gavin’s forehead as he closed his eyes slowly.

This was bliss.

Before he could tip-toe out of the boy’s room-as he was certain he was fast asleep-he felt Gavin shifting as he tightened his grip on his waist.

“Mmm, don’t go, Nines…”

How could he refuse such a wonderful, innocent request?

He kissed the tip of Gavin’s nose, “I’ll stay if you want me to, then.”

Gavin shifted his hips against Nines and sighed. The room was very dark, except for the steady blinking of Nines’ blue LED light. He pressed his hand against Gavin’s chest, then, and felt the pulsating beat of his heart.

“Nines?”

“Yes?”

A pause, “Will you teach me how to drive, soon?”

The boy was soon to turn sixteen, after all.

Nines tapped his nose with an index finger as he grinned down at the boy he was holding in his arms, “Why? Eager to get away from me?”

Gavin laughed softly, “No, just want to be independent,” he finished with a little yawn. His hands stroked Nines’ chest softly, “You’re not gettin’ rid of me anytime soon, Nines.”

A part of him believed these words sincerely, but Abby’s words still rattled within the darkest, most pessimistic parts of his mind and skull. He closed his eyes as he willed himself to remain hopeful and trusting the words the boy in his arms spoke.

_“…teenagers are conniving, cunning, and stupid…”_

“Go to sleep, Gavin,” Nines yanked the sheets up higher until they almost hit Gavin’s cheeks.

They could always discuss it in the morning, anyway.


	17. Author note

Hello all! 

I just wanted to send a very warm thank you to anyone who really enjoys this Fic. Some of you comment more than others, and you guys know exactly who you are. I'm sending an even bigger hug and an even bigger thank you to you wonderful, lovely people!

However, as much as I adore and love each and everyone of you, there are some of you who don't really seem to understand the amount of work and effort I put into this writing, and as I once mentioned in the past, sadly, I have been attacked because of the story.

These people attacking me aren't providing me with any sort of constructive criticism or feedback, I think they just want to annoy me.

I've already sent out my polite and gentle fair share of warnings to these people, and I've also even included a prior authors note asking people to stop commenting and saying nasty things if this work is not their cup of tea or to their liking.

This website has a very huge platform of fanfiction that's for everyone. You don't even need to throw a stone and you'll hit a fanfiction or an author that absolutely suits your needs and your interests and will write content that will keep you very happy and satisfied, in my opinion.

And then again, you will find others who are writing things that you may not like, things that may disturb you, and things that absolutely make your skin crawl. As an artist and an author, I value these types of people. I value them because I feel like if they can give you that kind of an emotional reaction, that means they're doing a very darn good job. That's the beauty of writing different things; it's supposed to pull your emotions in one way or another and perhaps get you to think about things that aren't normally outside of your own mental box.

To add on, I have currently 3 editors who are my personal friends who help me edit my work and write. To make it clear for people who are asking me weird questions and accusing me of strange things, these people and myself write our work separately. We actually live in different towns in different countries, and we don't see each other regularly on a face-to-face basis. We exchange our work and our ideas through email and other social media websites, but we each work on our portions separately.

The only reason why I do this is because it's becoming very difficult for me to keep editing and writing and working on four other fanfictions at the same time as well as keep up with my personal life. I've chosen to trust these people to help me write my work, because it's too much for me to handle. 

Some of you may have noticed who these editors and these friends of mine are, because they typically tend to pop in through the comments section.

But I just wanted to let you guys know that these are real people, and they hold their own opinions and thoughts on the chapters that they contribute to my work. Anytime you send out an accusatory comment or a rude comment, I hope you understand that you are offending three other people.

I've recently started getting attention and attacks coming my way stating that I copied this paragraph from another fanfiction or this idea from somewhere else. 

All I can say is that most of the chapters posted these days aren't mine alone completely. I'm currently trying to wrap up Hell's Flames, as well as an Uncharted fanfiction I've been working on for over 2 years.

I'm not sure where my editors are getting the content for their portions, and I will have a chat with each and every one of them to see where these accusations are coming from, and to see if I can even settle it.

But for the time being, I'm asking everyone to be a little bit more respectful, and I've decided to completely disable comments coming in. Most of the comments are now going to be author approved only, because I'm sick and tired of people attacking my friends whom I've known all my life, and who are motivated to help me and to work hard and not only for my sake, but for the sake of sharing my work and keeping you guys entertained as well.

I apologize sincerely to the few loyal people I've had supporting me from day one, I don't mean to cut off communication this way, but this sadly isn't the first time I've been attacked over my work. 

Please, as a last minute advice, if you don't understand, enjoy, or like my work, you don't need to not read; just keep your negativity to yourself.

It's a good thing that this website offers authors the option of moderating and approving certain comments; because to me, that's more than a matter of someone coming up with the argument of oh well you put your work up there on a public forum, therefore that means you're going to receive criticism and hate. 

Believe me, I do understand that side of that argument as well, but the special settings and options exist for a purpose as well, I think. If we didn't want to share our ideas and our work, we would never post them to begin with.

All I can ask is for people to be a little bit more respectful, but until I resolve this issue, these comments coming in are going to have to be moderated and filtered from now on.

Once again, I apologize to the people who really enjoy my work, but at the end of the day, my editors are very close friends, and I don't know where they get their ideas and their inspiration for the portions added to my fan fiction from, but at the end of the day they're still human beings and they have feelings, and they have motives, and they have other intentions that are not tied in with my own. 

As I said, I will have a chat with them and figure out what's going on, but for future references, again at the end of the day, I'm the author. This idea is absolutely my own. If people don't want to understand it or like it or enjoy it, they have every right to do so. But I hope people understand that I'm not making money off of this, none of my editors are, we're not marketing this fanfiction out to anyone, and we're not going around and shoving this fanfiction in other people's faces.

People are somehow finding this fanfiction all on their own and reading it all on their own accord. I truly appreciate the amount of attention it's gaining and the amount of followers who have been added to enjoying this fic, but I don't appreciate the other negative comments.

I hope you guys can understand now, and I hope no one will be offended in the future.

 

Thank you.


	18. Something Must Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: Stupidity.*

 

Gavin was weightlifting in one of his mother’s ‘work out’ rooms in the basement. He was using the same old bench press Nines had dusted before a week ago. He assumed it was a machine his father had once owned, perhaps.

Watching Gavin building his muscles and sweating up a storm, Nines had to wonder something. Had Gavin once wandered into a room similar to this one while his father exercised in a similar way? Is that how he’d learned and picked up the will to work out? Was he possibly inspired by his father?

He wondered how exactly they bonded and passed time together as father and son, but with the bare minimum amount of information he had on the infamous Allen Reed, he could only form guesses and it soon distracted him from his real goal: Gavin.

He sat on a small bench against the wall closest to Gavin, studying as the boy lay flat on his back and heaved the heavy weights up and down above his chest. He was wearing a tie-dye exercise shirt that was purple, blue, pink, and red, and it burst out from the center of his chest and exploded in the colors until reaching the bottom. His black Nike shorts were already drenched in sweat every time he went to wipe his hands on them during a small ‘resting’ period after he’d lifted the weights long enough.

It was a beautiful day outside; the sun was pouring nicely in from every window in the house. It warmed up the entire place, and even Gavin seemed to be in a better mood from it. He’d woken up with a bit of attitude as he avoided his mother until she announced that she was going to visit the in-laws again, but he seemed to be well now that she was gone.

Nines realized it was a weekend, of course, and he cursed himself for letting time slip by as he forgot his ‘duties’ and tasks momentarily as he thought about Gavin. The teenager seemed to also be thinking of him as well; he collected Nines into the basement to join him as he worked out and tried getting in shape.

Once or twice, he’d tossed jokes out loud in the air about the fact that he wouldn’t be ‘scrawny’ anymore soon, and Nines smiled as he stretched his long legs out and rested one over the other while crossing his ankles. He got lost in the motions of the teenager’s arms as he pushed the weight up, and down, up and down.

A thin sheen of sweat covered and glistened on his forehead, nose, and on his cheekbones as he breathed measured breaths while he worked out carefully.

Nines observed for a little while longer in silence, hearing the birds outside chippering and tweeting their merry spring tunes as he hummed, deep in thought. The sound of it caught the teenager’s attention, and he placed the heavy weight in its holder above his head as he wriggled out from underneath it and grabbed a small white towel draped on the edge of the bench press.

“What’s wrong?” Gavin inquired, a bit breathless as he wiped his forehead and cheeks.

Nines watched him for a moment before clicking his tongue against his front teeth, “Just thinking about you.”

His honesty had earned him a warm smile from Gavin. The teenager stood up, wiping his sweaty palms on his shorts as he walked closer to Nines. The android got up from his chair in an instant as he held out a hand and pressed it between their bodies.

“No, Gavin.”

His rejection had even hurt himself more than it had Gavin. The boy froze mid-step, and his leg hovered in the air before he raised an eyebrow, blinked, and then lowered it down to the floors.

“What?”

Nines was firm with him, sensing and seeing the teenager’s demanding arousal poking up against the fabric of his silky shorts like a tent in the wind.

“We can’t keep doing this; not in here, anyway.” Nines looked back at the open doorway and swallowed. What if Abby walked in any minute?

Gavin seemingly had read his mind, and he laughed, “Don’t worry, my mom doesn’t know anything-”

“Gavin it’s more than that!” Nines hissed as his LED light went all the way from blue to red in a second.

“—it’s not a matter of your mother finding out; it’s the fact that I’m lying for you, engaging in a relationship with you that’s reserved for consenting adults, and-”

Gavin choked on a dry laugh as he held a hand to his abdomen, “Are you sayin’ I didn’t ever give any consent?! Seriously Nines?!”

The android’s mouth snapped shut.

_But you couldn’t possibly…_

_Could you?_

Gavin wiped his hands on his shirt as he shook his head, “You really piss me off sometimes, Nines,” he rolled off his socks and bunched them up in a hand as he walked towards the doorway of the room.

“—I really thought you knew me better than that.”

Before he could completely leave, Nines stuck out a hand and grabbed his shoulder gently. Gavin stopped and glared over his shoulder at Nines.

“What do you want?”

Nines stammered out with a bit of a nervous tone to his voice, “You really mean what you just said?”

Gavin spun around so he was directly facing Nines, “Of course I did,” he crossed his sweaty arms over his chest, “I may be young, but I’ve been through enough shit to know what I want, Nines…I’m a lot more grown-up than a lot of people give me credit for.”

Living the way he had, of course it made sense, but Nines wasn’t going to press on and take advantage. He tried to step away from the teenager, but Gavin’s hands wound through his hair and he slammed their hips tightly together.

Nines gasped as Gavin kissed and bit his chin, leaning up as much as he could as he stood on the tips of his toes.

“Wanna screw around before my mom gets home?”

It was so tempting.

Nines growled down at him in carnal lust, “Gavin, I can’t risk it…”

The teenager leaned in close to his ear as he whispered: “Cowarrrrrrd.”

The way he’d rolled his ‘r’ was enough to drive Nines on the edge. He didn’t care where the line was, anymore, and he didn’t care about whatever boundary he’d crossed. As far as they were both concerned, that line was now blurred and had been crossed over many times before.

He made sure to lock the door before tearing Gavin’s clothes off in a hurry.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

After their second bath together, they were lying down lazily on Gavin’s recently-vacuumed carpeted floor as they enjoyed the sunlight that had shined down at them from the windows. Both were nude as they soon fell to another sexual escapade neither could have anticipated, and Gavin stretched himself out beneath Nines while eagerly guiding the other man’s length deeply inside him.

To Nines’ amusement, he found that Gavin was still incredibly tight, but his body was accepting his erection and handling it a lot better than their first time together in this way. Where Gavin’s body had once refused and rejected touches the android delivered to him, now, he was in a shuddering mess as he lay beneath Nines and knew exactly what to do with his hands and hips.

Gavin soon flipped Nines onto his back, and before the android knew what had happened, he was slid and guided back inside the tight, hot body above him, now, and Gavin gripped his arms and placed a hand on his chest as he gently and very carefully rode up and down on Nines’ lap.

It was such a lovely sight to see as the boy never increased his pace, but was able to pleasure both himself and Nines to full completion. Afterwards, they lay together in a naked heap, simply basking in the golden-yellow light of the sun as time went by lazily.

Eventually, when the floor had become too rough and painful for his body, Gavin got up and stretched his legs and arms out. He stood before the wide-open bedroom window, cracking his neck and knuckle bones a little while he reached over onto his bed for a pillow.

The way he was moving was doing certain things to Nines, but he didn’t like that Gavin was walking by the open window so carelessly in broad daylight like this.

He frowned up at Gavin, and the teenager threw the soft pillow down beside him.

Nines quirked a brow, “Gavin…”

Stretching himself upwards one more time, the adolescent hummed, “Hmm? What is it, Nines?”

He gestured over towards the window with the nod of a head, “Baby,” his eyes widened a little, trying to convey more than he’d like to phrase in words, “the window’s open…”

Gavin shrugged, and then plopped himself down on the pillow without anything said.

As Nines watched Gavin roll onto his stomach and drape the pillow beneath his arms, he knew he’d made a decision right then and there within himself.

Truthfully, the idea had actually came to Nines midway through his coupling with Gavin, and it had frightened him a little, as he’d considered it a heated, lustful thought. But now that his mind was clear, he was absolutely certain of his thoughts and decision as sexuality and lust disappeared from his mind.

He wanted Gavin as a life partner.

At first, he’d been positive and confident that it was just the raw lust talking and making the decision for him, but now, none of that was felt as Nines stared down at the boy next to him while he gently and slowly ran his fingers up and down his exposed, heated flesh in small circles.

He really couldn’t imagine doing anything even remotely close to this with anyone else except Gavin, and he didn’t want to spend another day without him.

But how was he supposed to admit and confess this to a teenager?!

It wasn’t a matter of Nines trusting or not trusting Gavin; he knew he implicitly trusted his young lover. But there was still something of a ‘gap’ present between them.

While Nines knew he himself wasn’t a human, and therefore couldn’t ever age, he knew Gavin could. That included all aspects of the boy’s brain, his chemistry, his psychology, his social standings, his ability to make decisions, everything.

There was no guarantee from Gavin’s end that he really wanted Nines for life as much as Nines knew for a fact that he wanted Gavin for the rest of his life. Things were a lot different as an android, and now as a deviant. He found himself longing for things he’d never even gave a second’s worth of a thought over, and for the most part, other things in his life weren’t that important.

He could work for Abby until she was in a retirement home, and it wouldn’t trouble him or change him in any way. He could even be sold off to another family and live out his days as a household assistant android who was secretly a deviant that had gone undetected for so long.

But as Nines stared at Gavin when the boy turned to his side, he froze.

Seeing the defining hip bones, the light beginnings of what looked to be abs, the light bits of hair trickling down Gavin’s arms, over his chest, and downwards even to his pelvic bone drove Nines wild. The boy’s skin was clear, yet not entirely smooth, as he’d been developing hair in all the perfect, right places. He had no freckles or sunspots anywhere, and when he moved in the right angle and in the perfect way under the light of the sun, his body hair almost look blonde…

Nines felt his chest tightening as his breath hitched in his throat. He had to look away, and he gazed down at his hands resting on the carpet as he pushed his mounting and growing nerves down.

Gavin peeked up at him, shielding his eyes with a hand as he smiled widely, “I saw you checkin’ me out, Nines…”

The android snorted, “You’re imagining things!”

“I think you’re sexy, too.”

God…

He really needed this young man in his life…

He’d never _needed_ anything before, but he couldn’t deny that he was starting to feel connections and ties to people and things like the other deviants whispered about. He never thought it would happen to him, one day, but now that it had, he wanted to relive the feeling every single day as long as it was with Gavin Reed.

But again, how was he supposed to admit it? He knew that if he said anything out loud, Gavin would either run away screaming, or he would throw a fit. Nines knew he had no right whatsoever to ask the boy to be ‘bound’ to him and loyal to him as a sexual, romantic partner.

It was ridiculous, unheard of, and selfish.

He was selfish…

Coming to terms with it stung, but it was way better to nip his wild, silly fantasies in the bud _now_ , before he really lost a sense of who-what he was.

He sighed as he peered over at Gavin surreptitiously, “That was the last bit, Gavin.”

The boy snickered as he rolled flatly onto his back, not even bothering to cover his genitals. He frowned a little, thinking that Nines must have been joking. But he stopped laughing when the android gave him a stern look.

“Hehe…wait,” he sat up a little, “the ‘last bit’? What’d you mean the ‘last bit’?”

“You know very well.”

He shook his head, placing a hand on Nines’ back, “Nines…are you dumping me?”

The android glared at him, “Gavin, that’s not what this is about!!”

_Tell him how you feel, tell him how much you want him as your own! Tell him the truth right now!!_

He shrugged his thoughts in the same way he shrugged his shoulders as he set up and covered himself with a hand while glaring at Gavin, still, “I’ve already done horrible things to you, and while I can’t take them back and have us start over, I can put an end to it all, _now_.”

Gavin reared up, fuming and breathing heavily in anger. His hair fell down, almost fashioning side-bangs, “The legal age of consent here is sixteen; I’ll be sixteen in October of _this_ year.”

The android huffed, “It’s not even late April, Gavin.”

“So what?!”

“It’s _illegal_ , Gavin!!”

Gavin bent his knees beneath himself as he grabbed the pillow and flung it forward at Nines. The android ducked in time, and the pillow went sailing into the air behind him as it smashed into Gavin’s closet door.

“I DON’T FUCKIN’ CARE!!!” Gavin had roared at the top of his lungs, and Nines slammed a hand over his mouth. The boy clawed at his human skin as rounds of muffled protests escaped his lips currently being crushed against the android’s hand.

Nines stared directly into his eyes as he held him with mighty force, “Would you be quiet?!?”

The boy nodded quickly, and Nines released him immediately while he apologized softly. He hadn’t meant to cause Gavin any harm, and he felt horrible and guilty for grabbing him the way he did. That, however, seemed to not be on Gavin’s mind. He panted and gasped for air as he struggled to keep his temper in check.

“You!”

“Shh!” Nines hissed and hushed him, “Look, I’ll give you an alternative…” he couldn’t believe what he was about to say, but he didn’t want the teenager screaming so loudly that the entire street heard him.

Gavin frowned, and tried to interrupt him again. Nines hushed him once more as he inched closer to the teen while he felt like he was going to be sick. He should’ve been put down for the words he was thinking and about to say, but he didn’t want to hurt the boy, especially on an emotional or psychological level. He’d rather die for sure than hurt Gavin.

Gavin cocked his head at him, signifying he was growing weary and impatient, “So? What’s your alternative, Nines?!”

The android hesitated as he looked down at their bare kneecaps almost touching.

Why was he feeling so guilty?!?

“Well?” the teen gave him a little shove, “I’m waiting!”

Nines looked up at him with conviction. It was now, or ever.

“I want us to…” he closed his eyes and started over again, “I want us to stop having sex, Gavin-”

“No!”

“You didn’t let me finish, Gavin.”

The teen threw a hand up, “That’s because I don’t wanna hear about: ‘oh it’s not you, Gavin, it’s me!! You’re too young and pure for me!!’” He surprisingly mimicked Nines’ voice in style, pitch, and volume as he rambled on.

“—you’re just a dickless coward if you think I’m not wise enough to catch onto your bullshit antics!”

Nines glared down at him, “Watch your tone.”

The teenager roared as he shoved Nines again roughly, “Fuck my tone! Just tell me what you wanna say, and then I’m-mmfff!”

Nines grabbed his cheeks and slammed their mouths together to silence him. Despite the fact that he first tried shoving him off, Gavin eventually clutched onto Nines’ back and shoulders desperately and in a severely tight grip.

He bit against Nines’ lips and slid his tongue inside the android’s mouth, exploring the warm depths for a moment before Nines broke their fevered, heated kiss.

“Gavin,” he panted softly, brushing a hand through the teenager’s hair, “I want you to try and think about our future, but especially your own.”

The boy raised an eyebrow, and the sight of his red, swollen lips nearly made Nines dizzy with hunger enough to dive in for another kiss. Thankfully, he had enough control, and he groaned at the back of his throat as he studied the ardent boy.

He stroked the boy’s lower lip with his thumb, “Think about what you want-I’ll give you all the time to make your mind up-and when you’re ready, I want you to tell me what you want.”

Gavin’s hands fell on his above his cheeks, “Do all adults do weird shit like this?!”

Nines pressed their foreheads against each other as he stared into Gavin’s eyes, “Gavin…” he didn’t know how to voice his thoughts, and the negative consequences he would have to face if he asked Gavin to wait for him outweighed the good.

There was just no way.

How could he even dare to think of robbing the boy of his youth? His freedom? His right to curiously explore other options and make new, more meaningful connections?

He couldn’t ever do that to Gavin, not unless he didn’t love him…

Closing his eyes, he barely let his lips graze Gavin’s. He had to force himself not to deeply kiss the teenager as he wanted to. He pulled back a little, eyes flickering down to those lips before they made their way up to his eyes.

“Gavin, I just want you to focus on your education for now, but also think very carefully about your future,” he explained patiently and softly. The sun was slowly starting to set, and so was his mood.

He didn’t want to keep his hands to himself around Gavin Reed, and he wasn’t sure if it was entirely possible, even. But he had to at least show he was making the effort, before something horrible happened to Gavin’s potential and his future.

No amount of pleasure in the world was worth risking that, and Nines wasn’t going to stand by and allow that to happen. He wanted Gavin to at least have his sixteenth birthday before they had this conversation, again, and hopefully in that time, Gavin would be more certain of whatever he wanted.

Still stroking that soft skin in his hands, Nines smiled warmly, “October isn’t too long from now, and I already granted you your wish of divesting you of your virginity,” he saw Gavin blush a little, and he kissed the tip of the boy’s nose.

“—please do be reasonable and cooperate with me, Gavin…just until your sixteenth birthday.”

His eyes darkened before Nines saw tears welling up in Gavin’s circular depths. He was drowned into those eyes, as if he’d fallen into a deep, dark well in the earth. Frankly, he didn’t mind drowning this time…he didn’t want to crawl back up out of the well…

“I can’t wait that long!!” Gavin cried out in a whiny voice as he clawed at Nines’ hands.

“Yes you can,” the android reassured him gently, trying to have ample amounts of patience.

The teenager moaned in protest, “I swear I can’t, I know I can’t!”

“Gavin, you’re better than that!”

The boy began to whine and cry, and Nines knew he was losing control over the situation, fast. It wasn’t going to be too long before Abby heard them when she came home, or someone else outside did.

Thinking quickly, Nines blurted out: “I’ll get you a tattoo! Right now!!”

The teen coughed and choked for a moment, and Nines hurriedly wiped his eyes as more of his tears fell. Gavin tried pulling away from Nines, but Nines wouldn’t let him go. He smiled as sincerely as he could as he nodded at the boy, “I promise, I’ll let you get anything you want!”

Gavin sniffled, “Dude,” he looked at Nines with a serious glint in his eyes, “for real?”

“Yes!”

“Like, right now?” Gavin’s eyes shifted and darted around the room, as if trying to test whether all this was really happening or not.

Nines sighed, “Like yes, like now!!”

This made the teen smile, but it was a pained smile as he reached for Nines again and tried to kiss him.

Nines pulled away, still thinking of his excuse and distraction, “But we should hurry before your mother comes back home,” he looked at the time on Gavin’s dresser, “and majority of the tattoo shops close after eight, so let’s go!!”

Gavin rose to his feet slowly as Nines helped him up. The teenager eyed Nines with caution in his eyes, almost as if he expected Nines to say: “just kidding!” at the very last minute. When he didn’t, Gavin scratched his head, “So I can get a tattoo?”

Nines nodded at him for the third time while he made his way towards the door, “Yes, but only if you hurry!!”

A laugh was heard behind him, and Nines spun around, “What do you find so funny, Gavin?” He was not in the mood to be toyed with or played with. He knew that he as really taking a big risk for the person he loved, but he was willing to face the music and the consequences. Yet Gavin was laughing?

Why???

Gavin pointed at Nines’ cock, “I’ll happily accept this gift, Nines,” his cheeks turned red and he wiped his eyes, majority of the tears already drying off, “but you gotta dress first, y’know?”

Nines flinched immediately and covered his exposed parts while shuffling in shame.

This earned him another loud laugh from Gavin, “Most stores here in America have a ‘no-clothes-no-service policy, after all.”

The android glared at him before retreating towards his closet. He gripped the doors tightly before tossing a scowl at Gavin.

He slammed the doors as he fumbled around inside it to change.

He could hear Gavin laughing the entire time.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

They’d picked a tattoo parlor Gavin had said he was eyeing for months. It was called: _Black Kat, Black Art._ Nines wasn’t too particular about where they went, as long as Gavin’s heart was filled with excitement and joy. He hated that he’d hurt the teen he loved in some way, and he was going to do right by Gavin until he was fully pleased again.

He hadn’t expected the process of getting a tattoo to be actually difficult and painful to watch, however. Nines knew exactly what was involved in the process of it, but he didn’t expect to ever see it done up close.

He pulled up a chair when the tattoo artist said he was allowed to watch. Nines winced when he saw the insertion of pigment within a needle into the skin of the boy lying back comfortably before the artist. The dark colors from the needle were dispersed neatly into the skin’s dermis once the artist had made sure everything was sterile and clean.

Gavin had selected his shape, but he was keeping it a surprise for Nines initially. Amazingly, the teen only winced a few times, but otherwise didn’t seem to be in pain as the symbol was beginning to form and grow nicely on his skin.

Within an hour at the most, Gavin’s tattoo came out beautifully and perfectly: a long, deep green leafy vine that started from his elbow and crept up to the top of his left shoulder.

Nines asked him what its significance and purpose was, and Gavin merely answered: “I like the color green; it’s my favorite color.”

The android smiled at him after paying the tattoo artist and helping Gavin off the chair as they made their way back to Abby’s spare vehicle. They hadn’t been in the car for a second before Gavin threw himself over the passenger seat and landed perfectly in Nines’ lap. He was busy smothering the android in passionate kisses, and Nines was beginning to enjoy it and lose himself in the heat of the moment before he remembered what he’d stated to Gavin previously.

Reluctantly, he pushed the boy off him and growled out: “Don’t ever do that again, Gavin!”

“I just wanted to thank you…” the small voice came and hit his ears like a sledgehammer.

Nines sighed as he turned on the car, “Staying in school and getting top scores is enough of a ‘thank you’.” With that, they drove back towards home, Gavin and Nines silently staring out the windows the entire time.

They finally parked the car in the garage, and Nines turned off the engine as they sat together in silence. Crickets chirped outside in the fields and grass, but Nines was unable to fully appreciate and take in the ambiance as he heard Gavin shifting in his seat.

“Are you hurt?” he asked the teen as he stared straight forward out the windshield.

“Nope.”

A lie.

Nines hummed as he slowly turned his head and gazed over at Gavin. He studied the teenager for a while, the moments stretching out for too long before he saw Gavin shudder…but he wasn’t cold; he was in pain from the tattoo treatment.

Cursing himself once more, Nines unlocked the car doors, “Let’s go.”

Gavin whimpered, “Why won’t you touch me anymore?!”

His question made Nines freeze halfway out of the car. He paused as his hand rested on the door handle for a moment, and then he pulled his left leg back inside the car and closed the door shut. He rubbed his forehead for a moment while glaring at his own eyes in the rearview mirror.

“Gavin, what do you want from me, huh?”

The boy spat out, “Just one fuckin’ kiss!”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know how repulsive I am!!”

If he had a heart, Nines was sure that this was where it would cease beating. The adolescent thought that Nines saw him as ‘repulsive’?! How?! WHY!?

He was faced with a horrible dilemma, and he was conflicted with an issue he couldn’t rely on his powers of thinking and reasoning to solve. This was a matter of the heart and feelings, and Nines had no idea how to go about explaining his own feelings to Gavin. He knew that once that door opened, it would be like a floodgate, and they would never be about to return from it after that point.

Choosing his words as wisely as he could, Nines stared at Gavin while speaking calmly and smoothly, “It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you, Gavin,” he looked at those pink lips he’d tasted not too long ago, “it’s that I want it too much, in fact…”

Gavin kicked a foot down, “Then there’s nothing else we can talk about.” He threw open his side of the door, almost slamming it as Nines followed behind him as quietly as he could.

He hated being tested this way, but he knew that Gavin had a point.

When they entered the house once again, despite how quiet they were, the kitchen light soon flicked on.

Gavin and Nines leapt up into the air when they saw Abby sitting down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She turned the chair over to face the hallway leading to the garage door, and she grinned in a horrible way while she crossed her arms over her chest.

She was wearing a tight black skirt and a white tank top, but she didn’t appear to really be pleased or enjoying herself as she sneered at the two males who’d snuck in.

“Where the hell were you two?” She scowled ferociously at them, as if already convinced that they’d committed a serious crime. She studied them with a tilted head and hateful, angry, dark eyes.

For once, Nines had no answer. He looked at the digital clock on the oven in the corner of the kitchen, and it registered that it wasn’t even 9:30 PM. Abby usually didn’t go to bed until at least 10, so why was she up?!

Had she found out?! They’d been so quiet and careful, but perhaps that was never enough when it came to a suspicious mother…

He fought hard to answer, but he hadn’t expected Gavin to take a step closer to his mother while he had his father’s leather jacket draped over his upper body, effectively hiding the tattoo and his bright pink skin that had turned sensitive from receiving it afterwards.

“Nines was just picking me up from Robbie’s house,” he explained as he smiled at his mother with confidence, “we were studying for our Chemistry exam, that’s all.”

He remembered the chubby boy from the party who dared to dive off the second-floor staircase railing as having the name and identity of ‘Robbie’. But did he actually share any classes with Gavin? Was his mother going to buy that?

Abby sighed, her face relaxing slightly as she shook her head at her son, “You didn’t tell me you had an exam coming up!”

Oh, so it was a half-lie?

Gavin was a good actor, and he played the part of a dutiful, responsible son as he smiled and gently hugged his mother, “I just didn’t want you to worry,” he explained rationally and calmly, “I know you work hard and are under a lot of stress as it is, that’s why I went to Nines, mom.”

His groveling and flattery worked on her, and she smiled as she kissed his forehead softly. She seemed so happy as she cooed, “I’m proud of you, Gavin,” she pinched his cheek, “honey, you’re finally being a responsible adult for once…” she looked up over her son’s shoulder, and her eyes turned to Nines.

The android expected her to glare at him like he’d offended her, but she offered him a warm, kind smile as well, “It’s all thanks to you once again, Nines!”

Gavin nodded before Nines could intervene, “He’s pretty nice, mom,” he smiled at Nines quickly, “he’s done so much for me…”

Nines froze for a moment, jaw dropping only slightly.

As he stared at Gavin, the boy turned and gave him a serious stare his mother couldn’t see, because he was directly facing Nines now and had his back to her. He was able to keep his tone friendly and cheerful as he spoke on, however, in spite of having an angry, heated expression and disappointed glaze in his eyes.

“Thanks to _him_ , I’m finally growing up…”

Nines swallowed while Gavin frowned at him.

Abby clapped her hands as she playfully swatted Gavin’s bum and shooed him into the hall with a small push of her hand, “Get ready for bed, honey,” she winked at Nines, “I need some time to chat with Nines…alone.”

Gavin smirked at Nines as he kicked off his boots and held them up in a hand, and he marched towards the hallway closet door with an air of attitude, “Knock yourselves out.”

Once his footsteps had made it all the way up the steps, Abby rose as she looked at Nines sensually from head-to-toe.

The android merely stood frozen as he stuffed his hands in the dark jean pockets he was wearing. He truly hoped Abby wasn’t going to get ‘hot and bothered’ because he was dressed in her ex-husband’s clothing again, but it seemed luck was on his side.

She only beamed at him as she moved to the side and pointed down at a laptop resting on the kitchen table Nines hadn’t seen the first time when they walked inside the house.

But then again, she _had_ freaked them out, after all…

He knew she wanted to do something with the laptop, and she immediately whispered out in a hush, silky tone: “Wanna help me create my new dating profile, Nines?”

Dating profile?

She wanted to seek companionship outside of him?!

YES!!

HELL YES!!!!!!

THE CYBERLIFE GODS HAD ANSWERED HIS IMAGINARY PRAYERS AT LAST!!!

He’d never been so happy in his entire creation.

This meant she’d finally given up on him, and finally lost interest. What a relief, indeed!!

He thanked the creators of CyberLife as he fought hard not to leap up in a cheerful way as he gave her a small smile, “Of course, Abby,” he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, “it’d be my pleasure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you -_-  
> Nines , what were you thinking letting Gavin get a tattoo??!  
> *Sigh*


	19. Life's Not Easy, So Smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING! SMUT SMEX! SHEX!!!!!*

 

Abby opened and navigated her laptop and web browser to the dating website she had typed into the search bar at the top of her screen. As Nines squinted at it, he read: ‘E-Harmony’ pasted in there. He’d never heard of this site before, but as he uploaded it into his memory system, he soon brought up tons of information on the website.

His LED light spun blue as Abby focused on turning on her webcam to take a selfie of herself as she pushed back her hair over her shoulders and sat up nicely and properly on the chair. She seemed so relaxed and prim, suddenly…

“Did you know that only two-percent of people who use the services of this dating site actually find a committed partner?”

Her shoulders drooped and she glared at Nines as she struggled to apply some lip-gloss to her lips, “Stop it, Nines! You’re making me nervous!”

“According to a recent customer-feedback satisfaction survey, a forty-two-year-old single mother of two discovered that her ‘husband-to-be’ was actually a registered sex offender…”

She held her lip gloss in her hands firmly as she gave him a dark glare, “Nines, please,” she opened the cap before placing it down on the table, “can you just help me with setting up my profile while I take a photo?”

Nines shifted in his seat placed next to her. The laptop whirred and buzzed as the fans worked, and the kitchen appliances hummed in the dark of the night. He sighed, finally, “As you wish.”

He heard her snicker, “It seems like you were jealous of me or something…”

His eyes rose up to hers as he drew the laptop close to himself over the table, “What do you mean?”

“It’s like you don’t want me to date…” she gave him a wide smile, her green eyes shining as she applied her lip gloss carefully, “do you want me all to yourself, Nines?”

The desperation in her voice nearly made him laugh.

Nearly.

So _this_ was why she needed the website; to make him jealous. Such a feeble attempt, truly. How had she gotten along with Gavin’s father if she had constantly behaved this way in the past? Such childish, recalcitrant acts surely discouraged her from repeating them in the future!

Well…they _should_ have…

He felt badly for her, knowing that she was beyond infatuated with him, but how could he let Abby Reed know that she was chasing a fantasy and a dream that would never come true?

Whether she would ever find out or not, Nines was madly in love with Gavin Reed, and there was nothing he could do to change that. Frankly, he found that he didn’t want to, even if he was given that and offered that option.

Tapping a finger along the mousepad, Nines scrolled down the page as he filled out Abby’s name and other bits of detail such as how others would describe her, what she looked like, what her favorite hobbies were. All while she fixed her hair and makeup, he typed away and when he finally finished, he turned the laptop over to her.

“What do you think?”

She leaned over and looked at it, her fruity lip gloss making him dizzy. He had to reel back a little, the chair swaying and shifting along to the side with his weight. It got her attention, and she looked over at him and winked playfully, “Falling for me already, Nines?”

She’d meant the joke to be for the fact that he’d nearly stumbled off the edge of his seat when he tried shifting away from her.

He held himself up by clinging onto the edge of the table as he fought hard to smile at her (as opposed to cringing) while she read over the profile.

“Yep!” she nodded in content, “looks good to me, Nines,” she opened a new tab as he sat back and watched.

“—but I’m going to try and _really_ put myself out there, if you know what I mean…”

He didn’t. “I’m not sure I follow, Abby…”

Abby flung a hand down and waved it at him and she smirked with confidence, “Just watch.”

So he did, and he gazed at the screen as she opened up the webcam app one more time and smiled as she shifted the laptop until Nines wasn’t in the view of the camera. It ‘clicked’ as she took a selfie of herself with her hand propped beneath her chin, her teeth shining white and clear.

Nines stared on as she uploaded it to a folder titled ‘My Photos ❤’. She then typed in the navigation bar of the tab: [www.plentyoffish.com](http://www.plentyoffish.com)

As soon as the blue page loaded, Nines struggled in pain as he watched Abby ‘sign in’. “You have a profile _here_??” He could hardly believe it, understanding exactly what kind of a crowd this website often drew. He just couldn’t understand how a woman like Abby Reed could be caught on this website, and he shook his head in amazement.

She giggled, “Whaaaat? Can’t a girl have some fun?” She finished that question by tossing him a flirtatious wink.

He rolled his eyes, “I thought you were looking for ‘long-term’ commitment?” He remembered typing that into her E-Harmony profile, and this was a complete contrast when he saw that she’d stated in her profile tagline: ‘Just a single mom looking for fun!’

Tapping at the screen, Nines pointed out in a cutting tone, “I don’t think this will keep you safe from harm, Abby.” He knew she was a grown woman and completely in control of her own affairs and decisions, but her profile photo that she was in the middle of uploading, paired with the astounding 57 unread messages in her inbox screamed out ‘trouble’ to him.

She fluttered her eyelashes at him, “I didn’t know you wanted to protect me so much, Nines…”

Of course she’d read it the wrong way, but this was hardly surprising coming from her. “I’m merely trying to look out for your best interest, too.”

She gently elbowed him while giggling, “If that’s the case, then please grab me a small basket of strawberries I’ve kept in the fridge-top shelf!”

Begrudgingly, he obeyed as he fetched the small, green basket of red berries that still had some waterdrops on them. Abby plucked one at the very top as she scrolled over to her inbox while Nines folded his hands in his lap as he peeked over her shoulder.

The first message was from a man who seemed to be well over fifty, and he was posed next to a large trout he’d caught, the aquatic animal dangling from his hand and a hook while the man was standing inside a boat.

The contents of the message simply read: ‘hey sexy, cam up?’

Abby deleted it, and she was onto the next one already.

The next ‘suitor’ was a man roughly her own age, and he had wavy blonde hair as he wore a red bowtie and was standing next to another man. They must have been attending a wedding or a party, and they held drinks in their hands.

His message to her read: ‘u into 3sums?’

She groaned as she deleted that message, too.

As the list of messages went on and were checked, they all got worse and more sexually disturbing. Abby was asked if she would film a sex tape, if she wouldn’t mind being double-penetrated, and even if she’d ever had sex with a dog, once.

When she’d had enough, she closed out of the website as she sat back and roughly munched on another strawberry. Its red juices poured out of her mouth, and whilst staring at the screen, she held out her hand as Nines placed a napkin in the center of her palm.

“Thank you.”

“Hmm,” he watched as she wiped her lips and then threw the napkin down onto her lap.

She threw her head back and groaned up at the ceiling in anguish and despair, “Niiines!! Why can’t I find a good guy who actually wants to be with me?!?”

It was a question he really didn’t have the answer to. He didn’t want to offer her a cold shrug, though, “I’m not sure, Abby.” Truthfully, he himself was stumped, as well. She was very good-looking, polite, intelligent, talented, and she could hold a good conversation.

She scratched her head, “I just want a guy like you…” her eyes landed on his lips and chin, “I want _you,_ Nines…”

Before he could interject, she held a hand up, “I know, I know,” she cleared her throat, “you’re not into me like that.”

He smirked, “Sorry, Abby.”

“At least you’re honest,” she grabbed another strawberry, moaning in pleasure at its taste before staring at her laptop again.

“Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places?”

Tip of the iceberg.

Nines leaned forward as he turned his head to the left and smiled at her, “Abby, if I may,” he started out as gently and politely as he could, reverting once again back to his ‘household assistant’ android voice.

“—perhaps you should consider the fact that you may not be ready to date.”

The female sat up as she hummed and tilted her head, eyes landing on the table while she fell into her thoughts. “You know, Nines,” she sighed, “maybe you’re right.”

He didn’t think he was. “How do you feel about it?”

She gave a small shrug, “My mother used to tell me that when you’re looking for something, that’s when you’re likely to never find it, but when you’re acting like you’re not searching for it badly, that’s when it’ll come to you…” her eyes flicked up to meet his, “does that make sense?”

It didn’t, but he smiled, “I think so, Abby.”

A shrug came out of her, “I never thought about having an affair even when I had troubles with Allen…” she played with a hair strand, curling it around a finger, “Gavin and I are alike in that way, I think…”

Nines raised both eyebrows, “How so? In terms of having affairs?” His small joke made her snicker as she bit her lower lip.

“No…” she let go of her brown, wavy hair strand, “we just try to stay focused on what we have to do, even if we’re both suffering inside…”

A sad look was upon her face, and it marred her calm, gentle demeanor as she bit her lower lip and chewed on it, “It’s not easy waking up every morning and pretending to be happy when you’re ready to die on the inside.”

His mind began to wander about the connection. It seemed to be half-true. While Gavin-being a young teenager-could’ve been out having the time of his life, he often chose lately to stay around Nines and pick up good behavior lately. Not that Nines didn’t appreciate it, but he sometimes had to wonder how Gavin felt in comparison to some of his friends…the young teen had eyes and ears of his own; he surely knew what other kids his age were doing and what they were getting into, yet he wasn’t interested in that at all?

Was that all because of him?

Was _he_ the one being so selfish that it ran the risk of making him ruin Gavin’s life and youth?

She continued on, bringing him out of his thoughts, “I just always was so eager to get out there after Allen left me…I didn’t think I was sexy after a long time, so I went to get myself in shape, and I went on a diet; I did _everything_ I could to get a new man in my life, but it never worked out.”

She shrugged as she bit into a small strawberry, the red juices covering and coating her lips, making it appear as if she’d used some kind of dark, exotic, red lipstick.

Nines eyed her warily, taking note that she was thinking, her mind miles off as she looked out the dark kitchen windows. “You tried hard for a man, too.”

“Oh gosh yes!” She held a hand up to her lips, “I thought that if I worked hard and wanted it enough, it would just happen…”

He watched her in silence as she chuckled and played with a strawberry, “Mom was always right…”

She twirled the strawberry a few times in her fingers, “A lot of guys just wanted to get into my pants right away, and when I didn’t give them that opportunity?” she snorted, “they ran out the front door so quickly it was as if they never walked into my life to begin with.”

He knew he could do only one thing for this woman, and he empathized with her.

“I’m sorry,” he looked up at the ceiling for a brief moment before peering at her, “I can understand desiring something for yourself, only to have reality dictate another thing entirely.”

She gasped, “Oh isn’t that the story of my life, Nines!” she tapped a finger against the table, and then picked up another strawberry before pausing and pressing it against her lips, the lip gloss smearing all over it.

“—just give and give and give for people and have them take and take and take…I’m so tired of it.”

Nines pointed at her, “And that’s exactly why I don’t think you’re ready to date; you need to look after yourself first, Abby.”

After eyeing him and studying him carefully for a few minutes in dead silence, he worried he’d said too much and gone too far. It was only going to be a matter of time before she exploded at him and told him she would be taking him back to CyberLife…

One of her hands suddenly slammed down on the table as she squinted at him while a grin formed on her face, “You know what Nines? You’re _totally_ right!!”

He was taken aback, “I am?” He really hadn’t expected her to agree with him that easily.

“Hell yeah!” She stood, grabbing the basket of strawberries as she held them against her chest tightly, “All this time I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off and trying to make things work, and when they weren’t, I was blaming myself!”

He raised an eyebrow, and she carried on, “But you know what? It wasn’t _my_ fault that things were going sour!” she waved her arms around, one of the strawberries almost falling out of the basket, “…I had to take care of _myself_ first, and I never took the time to do that!!”

Nines stood as well, smirking at her with pride, “There you go, Abby! Now you can finally understand that _you_ come first!”

His pep talk worked on her, and she pumped a fist into the air triumphantly after she’d slammed her laptop lid down, “Fuck yeah, Nines!!” She spun around and headed towards a cabinet Nines knew held liquor inside it.

He paled, “Abby, what’re you doing?”

Still holding her strawberries in one hand, she yanked back the cork on the bottle of champagne she’d yanked out of the cabinet. It burst into the air with a loud ‘POP!’ Abby giggled as she dipped her head back and took a large, long sip.

“Tonight,” she announced as she eyed the bottle and wiped her lips with the back of the hand that also held the same bottle, “I’m going to get beyond drunk, and I’m going to hold my own little party for myself that’s years overdue.”

Nines sputtered, but she was already making her way out of the kitchen. She stopped halfway as she pointed at herself, “I’m taking care of _me_ , Nines,” she leaned her head forward into the bowl and bit down on a little strawberry, holding it up with her teeth as she winked at him.

“Fffank oou.”

“Abby, that’s not what I-”

She waved at him with the bowl as she clutched the bottle of champagne tightly, “Nnniight Niiiinth!!!”

He heard her munching away on the strawberries as she ascended the steps. Soon, her bedroom TV had turned on, and it wasn’t too long before she was laughing and cackling into the night, leaving Nines alone with his thoughts.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

He pushed open Gavin’s bedroom door and was amazed to see the teenager reading a book snugly in bed. The night lamp beside his bedtable was on, and he peered up at Nines while he sat down at his computer chair.

They said nothing to each other as Gavin set his book down on the night table and turned in his bed until he was facing the direction Nines was sitting in. The sheets were draped over his shoulders and neck, and as Nines silently watched him in silence, Gavin lowered the sheets.

He was naked, and he stretched out his left arm that bore the new tattoo.

Nines smiled at the green leaf there as Gavin flexed his muscles a little while he stretched out a leg before him. Due to his workouts, his legs seemed stronger and more toned, and Nines took many long minutes to salivate internally over the sight of the naked male on the bed.

Everything was so open and clear, even in this dark night.

They faced each other, eyes shining and glimmering with desire neither of them could deny or avoid.

Nines stood first, moving quietly as he shred every article of clothing while Gavin watched him with desire and want evident on his face. His clothes littered the floors, mapping out each step he took as he climbed on top of the bed and gently eased himself over Gavin.

The teenager pushed aside the sheets to allow Nines to fit beneath them before placing them back around and over their bodies. They pressed into each other, and their hands were reaching out for each other in simultaneous want and hunger.

Warm flesh cupped equally warm flesh, and soon, their lips molded perfectly together as they slotted their mouths sensually down against each other. Tongues expertly slid between their open mouths, and Nines gently massaged and gripped the muscles that formed and made up Gavin’s thighs.

While dipping his tongue in and out of Gavin’s mouth slowly and teasingly, he also wasted no time in working him open. He found that the body beneath his own opened up quite nicely after a few moments of teasing and stretching, and it wasn’t long before Nines began trailing his heated, passionate half-bites-half-kisses down to Gavin’s sternum.

He suckled his right nipple to distract him long enough while he worked him open more and more. The teen’s hand flew down to his needy cock, and Nines growled when he realized he couldn’t see what the boy was doing.

Using his imagination as a substitute, he spread Gavin’s legs as he slowly rubbed the head of his wanton arousal around the puckered, tight rim he’d located. They both hissed out in pleasure, but Gavin’s voice was steadily increasing in tone and volume.

It fit the ambiance and mood for the time being, so Nines allowed it as he sucked majority of Gavin’s hard nipple into his mouth while gently and carefully rocking his penis against his opening, slipping and sliding a bit roughly against him.

The dry sensations they were both feeling would soon disappear. Releasing Gavin’s soaked nipple with a ‘pop’ from his lips, Nines yanked Gavin’s hand away from his own erection, and he dipped two of the boy’s fingers in his mouth.

Gavin’s eyes were blown wide open as he watched Nines suck his fingers like they were sugar-coated candies. The android made sure to even slide his pink tongue in the juncture between Gavin’s middle and index finger as the boy panted while staring fixatedly on his mouth. When saliva practically dribbled out of his mouth, Nines released the boy’s fingers and guided them down beneath the sheets.

They slid between his own legs, and Gavin instinctively opened them wider as Nines guided his fingers to lubricate himself enough. As the boy followed the motions of his hand, Nines continued to try to please his lover, stroking and fondling his cock while Gavin prepared himself with his own fingers.

Closing his eyes and relishing in the sounds they were making, Nines only wished he could see Gavin’s fingers pumping his hole as he stretched his neck upwards while his back arched off the mattress.

He was almost ready.

Nines gently moved Gavin’s hand out of the way as he rubbed the tip of his partly soaked cock against his opening. He delighted in feeling how wet they both were as they slipped and slid easily and sensually against each other when Gavin wrapped a leg around his waist.

Across the hall, Abby’s laughter rang about the upper floor of the house as she cackled like a witch while her TV shows blasted into the night. Still, they had to be cautious whenever she stopped laughing, and whenever pauses and breaks happened in her program.

Sliding his arousal over Gavin’s entrance multiple times, he’d traced it for a few seconds before Gavin’s hands slammed down over his bare ass. It was a silent demand to get moving and cut the foreplay short.

He happily obliged, sliding himself deeply inside Gavin as much as the boy could take.

At once, Gavin emitted a deep groan, and Nines pressed a hand over his mouth as he bit and licked his exposed neck.

Not sure what to do with all the pleasure around him, Gavin eagerly pumped his own erection while Nines rocked into him at a steady pace. He was sure to press his hand down over the teenager’s mouth, not trusting him to keep his moaning and sighs of sexual enjoyment down to a minimum and low.

Nines closed his eyes as he felt his flesh moving in and out of Gavin, sliding and easing perfectly until he sat deeply inside Gavin’s body. It was still very tight and suffocating, and he nearly drooled against the boy’s neck as he fucked that tight spot a little harder.

Gavin bit his palm, but he didn’t care; he kept his hand there while nibbling on his collarbone, his cock moving quickly as Gavin’s own hand flew up and down, making the sheets rise up.

The bedsprings creaked and groaned along with the obscene noises they made each time their sweaty, heated skin made contact. The soft sounds of muffled grunting, the sharp intake of breaths through flaring nostrils, and the musky scent of sex in the room drove Nines insane.

Biting down tenderly on Gavin’s neck, he applied more pressure in his motions, and Gavin wrapped his legs around his waist tighter in response. They sank further and further into the mattress, and Nines was sure the floor was going to open up and pull them down-bed and all-right into the floor.

He didn’t care.

Gavin was squirting all over his stomach as he whimpered and came all over them, and Nines gasped as he let go of the grip he had with his teeth on Gavin’s skin. He removed his hand from the teenager’s mouth only for a second before he claimed his mouth in a hurry. His hips delivered one final herculean thrust that drove him deeper than he’d ever been inside that tight heat, and he was exploding inside Gavin’s channel within a second while the bed shook violently.

He spent load after load, emptying himself until Gavin shook and quivered, clinging to him with just his legs. Eventually, he must’ve lost energy there as well, and his legs collapsed loosely and limply to the mattress as he panted against Nines’s open mouth.

They breathed against each other softly and deeply, Gavin doing majority of the panting and grunting as he flicked his tongue once inside Nines’ mouth to make contact before he gently pushed the android to his side.

Nines rolled over and gathered Gavin to his arms, not caring how sweaty and messy they were.

Abby clapped and laughed at something across the hall while they calmed down and stared up at the dim lights of the ceiling.

Gavin was the first to speak when he’d found his voice and his will to, “I thought you wanted to wait, Nines?”

An index finger pressed against his lips, “Gavin, shut up for a moment.”

He was starting to feel that strange sense of guilt wash over him, and he didn’t like it. He cursed himself for being so careless and reckless again that he couldn’t control himself for a moment whenever he was around the boy.

But it wasn’t as if he could just pack up and leave, never to see Gavin again.

That would likely hurt them all, and Nines knew that tonight, in some way, he’d actually ‘helped’ Abby and made progress with her. He wanted to see if whether or not he could help ‘heal’ and mend the broken bond this family had in time.

He also knew it was more than that; he was staying because he loved Gavin and wanted to be with him. He just wasn’t prepared to confess this at all, and he was happy with keeping his little ‘secret’ to himself for now.

His body rocked, and he looked down as he saw Gavin shaking him lightly. Apparently, he’d been silent and lost in his thoughts and musings for far too long before the teenager grew bored.

Nines kissed the top of his heated skull, “What is it?”

His blue eyes fell on the green leaf that seemingly grew and waved whenever Gavin moved. He’d been responsible for it ending up there, but he didn’t regret it; the tattoo somehow suited Gavin.

The teenager sighed, “Nothin’, just…just missed this, Nines.”

He did, too, but it was time to change the topic, before he said something stupid.

“I’ve been wondering what kind of plant sprouts and sports that leaf there,” Nines inquired as his index finger gently ran over Gavin’s tattoo.

The boy stared over at his arm as he grinned up at Nines, “It’s a pot leaf.”

The android growled as he rocked his hips against the boy’s thigh, and it earned him a small groan out of his lover.

“Okay, okay,” he laughed and then sighed out, “it’s an areca palm leaf.”

Nines hummed, “Ahh, interesting selection, but I have to ask, why that specific plant?”

A kiss was pressed against his chest while Gavin sighed, “It was one of the first plants my dad took care of when I was young…we used to water it together and place it by the windows, letting it take all the sunshine it could.”

He didn’t want to hear more out of a fear of disturbing the teenager. Already, Gavin was tense as he shook a little in his arms. It still seemed like talking about his father was a ‘no-go’.

“We don’t have to talk about it anymore.”

Gavin nodded and smirked, “Thank you, Nines.”

They shifted, rolling over so that they faced each other directly while Abby squealed in her room.

Immediately, they both burst out in shared laughter, and then Nines pressed a hand against Gavin’s lips again to silence him.

The teenager shoved his hand off, “Stop doing that!”

“Shut it, then!” Nines growled back, reaching over and pinching his lover’s ass.

Gavin yelped as he slammed up against Nines’ chest, “There’s other ways to get me to shut my trap,” his eyes glazed over with lust, “that is, if that’s what you want?”

He didn’t need to be told twice.

Reaching forward, he yanked the teenager closer, burying his fingers in his hair as he roughly began devouring his mouth.

Gavin allowed him, letting out little sighs and moans that Nines swallowed right up as he cradled the teenager to his chest.

The android had no idea when Gavin had even fallen asleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the lust has worn off, my mans!  
> I have some sad announcements 😥😢😓
> 
> One of my editors has decided to quit due to backlash they faced from a week ago. This means that my updates will take longer, but I WILL finish this story-for them, and for you guys, but PLEASE try to be patient with me; it's now only a 2 person team working on this fic, as my other friend is sometimes tough to get a hold of (I still love her).
> 
> Thank you, and I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Much love to my editors throughout all the years and months; I couldn't have done squat without you guys 🌹❤


	20. One Saturday at the Farmers' Market

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We learn a little more about Gavin's dad each chapter, from now on.

Abby paced the living room as she cradled her phone in between her ear and jaw while talking and laughing with an old college friend. She’d woken up really late on that Saturday morning, but she didn’t care.

She’d slept better than she remembered having in a lot time, and she didn’t need a man cradling her, for once. She’d felt so free, and she was so happy that she didn’t care to put on makeup or fix her hair; it was just a messy, brown bundle she’d tied back in a bun as she walked around the house in her pajamas.

Her friend had surprised her with this random phone call, as they hadn’t spoken in well over two years. They’d taken many classes together, and now she was telling Abby that she had made the decision to leave her husband, as she suspected him of flirting and having an interest in his secretary already.

Abby walked around the living room while Nines and Gavin wrestled on the floor excitedly like two over-grown puppies. They pawed at each other, rolling around and messing up the pillows and little beanie chairs strewn around the living room.

“I never thought I’d be able to catch them, but I finally did!” her friend hissed in her ear as she looked down at Nines overpowering Gavin as they snickered and roughhoused.

“How?” Abby asked while she walked around them, careful not to trip over them while they shifted positions quickly, and Gavin flung himself on top of Nines as he pretended to punch and strangle the android.

Abby smiled as she listened on to her friend. “She thought she brought her ‘normal’ game-face before me when I invited her over for supper,” the other woman explained dramatically as she lowered her voice, “but I knew they were playing footsie beneath the table, especially when she did the old ‘I dropped my fork’ trick!”

Abby gasped, “She did _not_!”

“She did!”

With a playful growl, Nines wrapped his hands around Gavin’s back and rolled him down onto the carpet as he pretended to nibble and bite at his neck while Gavin yelled out: “NOM NOM NOM NOM!!”

Nines growled and chuckled deeply, and Abby rolled her eyes while her friend asked what was going on. Apparently, the noises her son and android were making couldn’t be ignored any longer.

“Just my husba-err-I mean, my new boyfriend roughhousing with my son.”

Immediately, Gavin let go of Nines’ earlobes. He was stunned and frozen by what his mom had said, but he wasn’t the only one; even Nines was rooted to the spot, and it took a lengthy amount of time before he broke out of his statuesque pose and eventually made his way from the floor over to Abby.

She tossed him an angry look, and he waved his arms up and down at her, as if to get her to take that statement back. He was able to focus in on her conversation to hack the line, and he heard a horrifying statement fly out of her friend’s mouth.

“Oh my god Abby!” she squealed happily, “I’m so happy you’re back in the dating world again!!”

Abby laughed, although it seemed pained and forced as she frowned at Nines

The android threw her a disappointed glare, but she turned her back to him while Gavin sat up on a sofa and eagerly tried listening in on his mother’s conversation, too.

“This may sound totally random,” her friend started softly, “but I’m kind of seeing a guy too, and I was thinking…”

Nines gaped at the phone, already foreseeing what she was going to suggest.

No…

“—how about we all go out to the Farmers’ Market sale this afternoon as one big family?!”

Abby leapt up and squealed, “We should!!”

“Yeah!! I can meet your guy, and you can meet my new beau as well!!”

Gavin saw how excited his mother was, and he got fully on his feet as he whispered at Nines: “Plotting shit without me?”

The android nodded, “Without your consent, and mine.”

Gavin growled in retaliation.

As if somehow hearing him, Abby’s friend gleefully announced, “Gavin can come along too!! I’m sure he’ll be happy for a new change of pace and breath of fresh air!”

Abby happily agreed with her friend, and they disconnected from the call afterwards. When she turned back around, she was faced with one angry teenager, and one very, very upset android. Both males scowled at her, and Nines even stood straightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. His LED light was yellow for a second, but when she opened her mouth, it turned red in a flash.

She frowned at it, “Don’t you look at me like that! I’m sure we will _all_ have a good time out there!”

“You called me your boyfriend, Abby,” Nines stated factually, and Gavin nodded.

The woman merely rolled her eyes as she threw her arms upwards to the ceiling, “I had to think of _something_ to say to Clarissa!!” she explained, as if that was perfectly okay and acceptable, “—the woman’s relentless sometimes, and she’s extremely nosy!”

Nines took a step closer, “But still-”

“Oh hush,” Abby gently grabbed his shoulders in her hands and spun him around towards the main hallway, “why don’t you get Gavin to dress you up all fancy looking, and then we can head on out of here.”

Gavin was the only one who actually seemed calm enough to do her bidding; he pushed on Nines’ back with his palms while shaking his head at his mother, “Nothin’ better than a Saturday afternoon spent in the Farmers’ Market, right mom?”

She placed her hands on her hips, “That’s the spirit, Gavin.”

Nines only growled as he was pushed up the stairs slowly, his LED light never once ceasing to fire and blink off red in color.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

“So who is this ‘Clarissa’ anyway?” Nines inquired once Gavin kicked his bedroom door shut. They could hear Abby fumbling about in her own room as she got ready, and they focused on the little time they had to chat together.

Gavin was searching through his closet once again for whatever spare clothes of Allen Reed he had, and Nines sat back on his bed lazily as he leaned back on his elbows and sighed. He was still so heated and angry, but he found that when he was alone with Gavin, things calmed down significantly.

The effect this young man had on him was ridiculous…

Bags rustled as Gavin pushed them aside and searched up and down his closet, “She’s an architect, and she met my mom way back when they were in college together.”

Nines raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”

“Yeah,” Gavin brushed aside some shoes with his right leg, “funny story, actually…” he paused and snickered, “Clarissa actually slept with my mom’s boyfriend at the time, and my mom focused on finding out who her boyfriend had cheated on her with, so she literally went around the entire campus asking who knew what or who saw anything…”

A scoff came from Nines, “How like your mother to do that; never giving up until she gets what she wants.”

Whether Gavin understood the deeper meaning behind his words was unknown for the moment, but the teen nodded, “Dude she totally went mental about it!” He drew back, and Nines saw him fish out a small black suitcase. Its wheels rolled along the floor until they met the carpet, and the sounds grew silent and muffled.

“—she literally crashed another guy’s party once she found out Clarissa was attending, and one of the worst cat-fights in human history supposedly went down that night…” he rolled the suitcase forward until it was a few inches away from his bed.

Nines smirked, “Is that what they say?”

Gavin held up a finger, “Rumor has it that not even the security guards on campus could break up the fight, but afterwards? When all the blood and cuss words were out of the way?”

Nines waited, “What happened?”

The teenager smirked as he bent down and turned over the suitcase, unlocking it quickly, “They totally become ‘best friends forever’ and went out for coffee and forgave each other within a week at the most.”

Somehow, this didn’t surprise Nines. Abby Reed was an unpredictable woman at times, and even being an android highly programmed and advanced to read and predict human behavior didn’t help him prepare for her next outbursts. The best he could always do was stand by and simply ‘watch’ until she’d calmed down and put out her own fires.

He looked down and watched as Gavin opened the suitcase, and he pulled out a white, slim-fit tuxedo dress shirt. It had a little black bowtie in the center of it, still folded and pristine. Not a single wrinkle was about the long-sleeved dress shirt as he pulled it out and held it up before Nines.

“Here,” he looked back down into the suitcase, and once Nines had taken the dress shirt, Gavin produced a black tuxedo suit as well. Matching? Interesting.

Unable to stop himself from prying, Nines asked: “Are these your father’s, too?”

Gavin paused before nodding once, “He wore these when he proposed to my mom, but he didn’t actually wear them to the wedding, surprisingly.”

The suitcase was shoved under the bed, and Nines was pulled to his feet gently as Gavin plopped the dress pants beside him on the bed.

He couldn’t help but chase his wild curiosity, “What did he wear to the wedding?”

Gavin chuckled as he began tugging upwards on the grey shirt Nines was currently wearing, indicating it had to be taken off, “Hands up.” Nines pushed his arms up, and Gavin pulled the shirt off him smoothly, “He actually came to the wedding in a black trench coat, a torn band shirt, and black skater shorts…I’m not even kidding, dude.”

Nines’s jaw fell, “He didn’t…”

“He did!”

The tuxedo white dress shirt was placed on him, and Nines held out his hands as Gavin got him in the clothes, “My grandfather actually called the cops on him, thinking that he was gonna rob my mom and trash the wedding, but it turned out that my grandfather learned that day that his daughter was engaged to a punk, after all, haha!”

His pants came off next, and Nines felt the breeze of the room hit his thighs and legs as he stepped out of his torn jeans. He looked down at them, imagining Gavin’s father in much the same thing as he stumbled drunk-or possibly high (fuck, maybe both)-to a wedding. He imagined a younger version of Abby Reed; probably less stressed out, her hair much lighter and brighter, and she probably was standing in one of the most expensive wedding dresses next to her bridesmaids, simply waiting for her ‘Prince Charming’…

And yet, she got…?

He felt embarrassed for her even thinking about it.

Gavin had pulled his left leg up forcefully-but-firmly as he slotted his left leg in the pant leg effortlessly, “Perfect fit, as always!”

Nines hummed as he began buttoning up the tuxedo shirt, “Don’t I need the overcoat for this?”

Gavin shook his head, “Nah, it’s too hot for that.”

“Hmm,” he sighed as he looked down at Gavin lingering around his right leg, now, eagerly trying to lift it and fit him into the right pant leg.

He stared at him in a peculiar, confused manner, “Gavin?”

The boy finally looked up at him with curious eyes. There was silence between them that usually was reserved as a sign for the speaker to continue, after having gotten the listener’s attention. Nines merely swallowed nervously, though.

Gavin licked his lips while fumbling with the pants, “What is it?”

He paused before feeling himself settle into the dress pants nicely, “Do you…d-do you look more like your father, or mother?”

Finally, he’d asked the question he always wanted to. Nines had already anticipated and suspected that he would likely never see a photo of Allen Reed, let alone catch a glimpse of him in the flesh. He hoped that now that he and Gavin had grown closer, Gavin would trust him enough to be able to answer his question. While it wasn’t any of his business or concern in general, he wanted to learn more about his lover, and that included how he felt about his ‘estranged’ father.

Hopefully Gavin wouldn’t react to it too poorly, and reading his body language there before him, Nines suspected he hadn’t crossed a line or so by inquiring about Gavin’s relations and appearance.

He wasn’t incorrect, and Gavin smiled as he stood up and adjusted the bowtie once he leaned up enough on the tips of his toes just to be able to reach Nines, “I look more like my dad, but apparently, I also look like my mom’s dad...so I’m told, anyway.”

Nines watched as his fingers smoothened out the black bowtie as he tightened it a little in the center of the neck of the dress shirt.

“Does that make you feel bad?”

Gavin shook his head, “No,” once he had finished with the bowtie, he stepped back to admire his handiwork as he hummed and placed a hand over his chin, “I like my dad a lot more than my mom.”

Nines took a step back, and Gavin laughed, “Yeah, I know that’s literally the worst thing to say, right?”

Silence answered him.

He merely shrugged coolly, “I know it seems fucked up to have to pick and choose between your parents, and I hate the whole ‘favorites’ game…sometimes teachers do it with certain students at school, and I used to be the first person in the world who’d say that it had no place in a household and between family members…”

He knew there was more to it than that, but Gavin clearly wanted to drop the subject. He scratched the back of his head and turned to look out the window shyly. Reading all his body language and the signs, Nines nodded as he let it go. He was lucky enough that Gavin was sharing a lot already with him, and he didn’t want to make his lover feel uncomfortable or put on the spot.

Placing a hand on his lower lip, Gavin licked his dry lips, and Nines felt his eyes being drawn to the center of those moist, pink folds. A strange hunger almost akin to depravity suddenly washed over him, and he unconsciously took a step closer towards Gavin, as if wanting to reach out and touch him.

Gavin sighed softly, “Hey Nines?”

He grunted, “Hmm?”

“Androids…” the boy shook his head, as if banishing that thought, “like, I know you guys don’t have ‘moms’ or ‘dads’ like people do, but you’re kinda possibly based off _someone_ , right?”

It was the android’s turn to shrug, “I don’t know.”

What an odd-yet interesting question.

“Do you think you look like a specific person?” Gavin bit his lower lip, and it began driving Nines insane.

He fought to look away from the sight, before he lost all semblances of his self-control.

Pushing a hand through his hair, he looked out the window, “I don’t know; maybe I look like someone’s father, too…”

_Or maybe I’m nothing, and a nobody…_

Nines had had enough of this odd turn in a conversation, and he turned away as he tried ignoring how Gavin’s eyes followed his every move.

He brushed past the boy as he studied himself in the mirror on his dresser and smiled, “This looks good, Gavin,” he played with the bowtie, plucking at it a few times as Gavin turned and stared at his entire getup.

The teen tossed him a gentle smile, “You look good…”

“That’s because of _your_ help…” Nines interjected, and Gavin rubbed his chin, the light scratching of skin on skin hinting that he was soon due for another shave.

“Ohh staaahp it you!” Gavin joked in a little strange accent as he waddled over to his closet and picked out his clothes. Unlike Nines, his were far more simple: black khaki pants, dark brown loafers, and a thin, long-sleeve, denim grey-zip-up dress shirt. He left it unzipped as he straightened himself up best as he could after he’d applied deodorant to himself.

As they were both in the process of admiring themselves in the mirror, Gavin’s bedroom door pushed open with a small ‘creak’.

They turned around and saw Abby Reed poking her head in the room. She was wearing an olive green and white-striped summer dress that fell down to her thighs, and white high heels. She smiled at them as her tanned skin glowed in the afternoon sunlight.

“You two look so damn adorable!!” she held up a hand, “come out into the hallway for a moment!”

She retreated downstairs quickly, only her heels being heard as she clicked them down on the floors.

Gavin rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh, “She’s gonna want to take a photo, just watch.”

Nines snickered, but walked downstairs with Gavin trailing behind him. When they reached the main floor hallway, Abby yanked out her wide-screen iPhone and shoved the two males closely together. She used the front door for them to stand straightly up against as they posed.

Gavin leaned against Nines, and whispered in his ear, “Told ya.”

Abby squealed, “Smiiiileee!!!”

Gavin snorted, and his mother glared at him, “Gavin! That includes you, too!”

“This is gonna be painful, just fake a smile,” Gavin whispered over into Nines’ ear as he posed beside the android and forced a smile on his face.

It apparently looked too artificial and fake, and Abby lowered the phone as she frowned at her son, “Gavin,” she stomped a foot down on the floor, “this is one of the most beautiful memories we can create together as a _family_!” her eyes looked sad and hurt, “why do you want to spoil this for me?”

He whined in irritation, “Okay fine!!” He slammed his body right against Nines, and he offered one of the most genuine, most sincere smiles Nines had yet to see on Gavin. He recognized that smile, however; it was the same smile he’d given him many times before and after they made love. It was a smile that portrayed he was satiated, comfortable, and feeling loved…

What must he have been thinking about to bring such a smile up under duress?

It was contagious, however, and Abby didn’t need to ask Nines to smile, next. A large, wide smile naturally formed on his lips the longer he looked at Gavin smiling, and he almost gave into the desire to lean his head against the top of Gavin’s skull and drape an arm over his back. He was shocked that he managed to keep his hands to himself, however, and he simply stood beside Gavin while Abby turned on the self-timer of her iPhone camera and placed it on the end of the banister of the steps once she’d aligned the shot perfectly.

“Okay! Five seconds, guys!” She sped over to them and forcefully wrapped Nines’ left hand around her waist as she leaned up, propped a leg high up into the air, and placed a kiss on Nines’ cheek.

The camera beeped, and after two warning lights fired off, it clicked the photo in the pose they’d all taken together.

After the phone had been taken, Abby cheerfully placed another kiss on Nines’ cheek. This time, he leaned away, and Gavin turned and glared at both of them.

He held up a hand as he pushed away from Nines, “Can you guys not make out in front of me? Thanks!”

Woah…

Nines was stunned, and his jaw fell while Abby frowned at her son and grabbed her iPhone off the banister. She ran a hand through her combed, wavy hair as she shook her head in disappointment at her son, “Why can’t you ever be happy for me, Gavin?”

The teenager hissed, “You’re playing pretend as usual, mom,” he turned and unlocked the front door, “I’m done talkin’ about this for now.”

She tore after him, placing a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off as he pushed past Nines, who was still in front of the door.

“Get out of my way, Nines!”

“Gavin, wait!” He didn’t allow his mother to grab him, and he ran out the front door and down the driveway as he waited behind his mother’s car.

She followed her son, and Nines sighed as he locked the front door and began to head out to join them. He knew exactly why Gavin had acted the way he did: he was jealous. Nines could empathize, and he knew that if anyone else had even dared to come close to Gavin, he would lose himself to a dark rage unlike any he’d ever experienced before in his entire creation.

But he also knew that he had to have a serious chat with Gavin once more.

Perhaps the boy was far too young to understand that sometimes, a sacrifice was worth years of pain. He knew that ever since he’d been welcomed as a part of the Reed family, he’d have to put up with certain things he didn’t want to ever do.

There came a price with playing the role of ‘family’, and this was one of them.

Young love was far too daring and risky, and he had to watch every move he made.

But to explain that to Gavin…another challenge indeed when faced with a headstrong teenager.

There was nothing else to do but play the role of the ‘father and husband’, so he helped open Abby’s side of the car while she fished and sorted through her purse.

Abby handed him her car keys as she threw her head back and took an Advil, popping it in her mouth dry, “I can’t handle Gavin right now,” she whispered to Nines while Gavin flung open the backseat doors and threw himself in the car, making it sway and shake from the intensity and force of himself dumping his body back there.

“I understand,” Nines grabbed the keys, and they didn’t say another word to each other as they headed in the direction of the Farmers’ Market.

It was still a beautiful day in terms of weather and atmosphere, but the mood was totally ruined, now.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

The Farmers’ Market was large, spacious, and it took place both indoors and outdoors. They’d barely been able to locate a good parking space, but when they had, a car horn honked at them the minute Abby Reed stepped out of the vehicle.

Clarissa Marley was a tall, strawberry-blonde-haired woman with light blue eyes hidden behind thick, dark-rimmed sunglasses. Nines guessed she was possibly of European descent, and she towered over Abby as she engulfed the woman in her long arms. She wasn’t as tall as Nines, thankfully, but she wasn’t intimidated by him as she proudly stuck out her hand and shook his when he didn’t move or make an attempt to greet her.

She wore diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, and bangles all over her tattooed arms. Her dress was a tall, red Angel Sleeves Skater Dress, and it showed off her thin-model-like figure.

Abby seemed jealous of her friend for a moment, staring her up and down as she cried out in mild contempt: “You’ve lost weight?!”

Her friend pet her on the back, “I’ve gained some, actually!” she laughed as she put on her sunglasses and covered her blue eyes, “this dress used to fit me a lot better!”

“Bullshit,” Gavin snorted, but no one heard him.

A shorter man approached them, and he’d come from the same direction that Clarissa had. Nines assumed this was her lover. He was wearing sunglasses as well, but had high, prominent cheekbones, a rather bony, thin nose, and a well-defined chin. He was fashionable; a cream-colored formal suit and dress pants that matched, covering his fit, athletic body. He took off his sunglasses and tucked them in his pockets as he smiled at both Nines and Gavin. He had a shaved head that was starting to form a light, fuzzy stubble of rough hair that seemed dark brown in the daylight, and he had small, dark brown eyes.

“Sweetie,” he tapped on Clarissa’s back gently, “do you want to introduce us?” He had a charming voice that wasn’t too deep, but it seemed as if Gavin wasn’t fond of this man.

He hid behind Nines as he spat out: “We all know who you are, Logo.”

Abby gasped while Clarissa giggled, “Gavin! That’s very rude!” She scolded her son, but he glared at her.

The other man gave a half-smirk, “It’s alright,” he shook Abby’s hand quickly, his grip loose, which suggested it wasn’t ‘alright’ with him.

“—I’m Logan.”

His girlfriend nodded, placing a hand around one of his broad shoulders, “Yes,” she smiled at Abby as she lowered her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose, “this is my Logan!”

Abby cheerfully smiled at Logan, “Pleased to meet you…”

Her friend gasped once she finally had time to see Nines properly in the middle of all the chaos and madness as music within the large, outdoor farmers’ market played on speakers placed everywhere.

“Woah—and _this_ must be your new man?” She seemed really impressed by what she saw when she gazed at Nines. She eyed him carefully, taking him in visually one piece at a time, though she didn’t seem to be as sexually-driven as Abby was whenever she stared at Nines. Clarissa Marley seemed to ‘enjoy’ staring at Nines, whereas Abby Reed seemed to really ‘get off’ on watching him.

Nines noticed the differences in the women’s personalities right away as Abby introduced him properly and spoke a little about him. While the new couple listened on, Nines felt and heard Gavin tossing around some gravel and rocks between his shoes as he grumbled to himself.

Nines felt badly immediately; now that the grownups were among each other, it seemed as if Gavin had been out of place, and left out of the chat, seeing as he didn’t have anyone closer to his age to talk to, nor did he have anything in common with the adults…

Only Clarissa’s boyfriend took an interest in trying to keep the teenager company, and he walked over and pet the boy on the back, “Hey little man.”

Gavin snarled at him and shoved him aside, “I’m not _little_ , Logo!”

The other male merely chuckled as if it was a joke running between them, “Whatever you say, shorty.”

Abby smirked over at Gavin and Nines, “Let’s get going!” she looped her arm around her friend’s as she led the way, “I want to get some shopping done!”

“Wait for me, honey!” Logan raced over and held an arm around Clarissa’s back while he followed them in a little line.

Knowing it wouldn’t be long for them to notice he was out of place, Nines threw a weary look back at Gavin before reluctantly moving up and placing himself beside Abby. He hesitated for a moment before allowing her to take his hand in her own while Clarissa beamed at them.

“So cute.”

She missed how Gavin raised his middle finger at her back in response to her comment about Nines and his mother, but he followed them out of the parking lot and into the farmers’ market.

The entire set up consisted of booths, tables, and stands where the farmers were selling fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and some of them were even preparing foods and beverages by isles and stands, holding them out in an offering whenever large groups of shoppers and wanderers passed by. A wide variety of beef and pork products are sold at the farmers’ market in the little indoor shops. The typical beef products included: steaks, ground beef, jerky, and various types of beef sausage. Some sausages and bacon strips were cooked and grilled on barbeques outside as customers stood and eagerly ordered whatever they wanted.

Barns and stables off to the sides held horses, goats, sheep, and a few cows. The animals fed and slept happily, making noises once in a while when people got close enough to pet them or take photos next to them.

Activity buzzed all around as people nearly bumped into each other while they shopped and browsed about, and Nines walked as close to Abby as he could while he pretended to be her ‘boyfriend’ as best as he could.

If he could feel pain, he knew he would have had a headache by now. Clarissa was rambling on, and on, and on. She didn’t stop talking, _ever._ None of her words made sense the more she spoke, and it suddenly reminded him of his first impression of her when he heard her voice on the phone.

Painful.

Excruciatingly painful, no less.

Gavin hung behind the adults, casually stopping by carts and fruit stands as vendors and sellers offered him little bits of fruits and berries here and there to sample and try, which he ate down happily within seconds.

Smoke and songs flew and breezed through the air, and while Nines fought and struggled hard to keep his mind off Gavin and try to ‘enjoy’ the scenery, he found he couldn’t. It was simply impossible to keep his eyes off the teen, and every so often when he thought no one was watching him, he would stare at Gavin and practically memorize what he was doing…

But he was still keeping an ear out on Clarissa’s conversation with Abby. Logan followed closely, and in moments, the group had somewhat split. Logan pushed Nines to the side semi-aggressively, and they were steered away from the women in no time.

It seemed as if Clarissa suddenly desired ‘girl time’ with Abby, and she suddenly pulled the other woman around a bushel of berries and fruits as she leaned in and whispered: “So how’s your sex life with an android?”

Logan didn’t seem to have heard it, and he was soon standing by a street performer on a curb next to an ice-cream cart. The man was strumming a guitar as he sang out loud before a tiny crowd while a little pet monkey collected cash and coins his spectators would every so often drop down into a large tuque the monkey held in its hands.

Logan snickered as he dropped a few coins into the hat while Nines listened in on the women’s conversation.

“I hear androids are _way_ better in the bedroom,” Clarissa giggled, and then sighed, “not that I’m complaining about Logan, or anything!”

As the crowd clapped and cheered on for the musician, Nines peeked around and watched as Gavin headed towards the little monkey.

“Hey little guy!!”

Abby hesitated before answering, “Well, we’re umm…”

Gavin and the monkey met halfway, and in a second, the little furry animal crawled up his arms and shoulders before sitting on top of his head as it held the tuque with an air of pride in its little black hands.

The crowd found it hilarious and cute, and they snapped pictures as Gavin posed with the monkey and gasped in surprise before he clenched his eyes shut and lost himself in innocent laughter.

Nines tilted his head down at him, losing himself in how innocent and sweet the laughter sounded as it poured out of Gavin. Here was an instance where he seemed like he was finally acting his age, as opposed to trying to be tough and macho, possibly to hide and cover up some pain or trauma. This Gavin Reed on display before everyone’s eyes seemed like the one that was hidden all along behind a cold, harsh exterior, and Nines was enjoying it while listening in on the conversation whirring in his audio receptors.

“Go on?” Clarissa urged like a pest, and Abby sighed.

“Nothing really has happened yet…”

“Oh my god Abby,” Clarissa spat out in shock, “why not?! Have you even _looked_ at him?”

Logan tapped Nines’ shoulder as he pointed at Gavin slowly rising to his feet, the monkey still sitting happily on the top of his head. “That’s cute right there, huh?” he snickered as he took his own photo of the incident.

The monkey soon had enough of his photo being taken, and he slid down Gavin’s outstretched arms and ran back to his musical owner.

“Girl,” Clarissa spoke harshly, “all I’m saying is that you better make your move on that man-droid before someone else does!”

“I’m trying!” Abby hissed in her friend’s ear while she played with her purse strap, “but he won’t really let me get too close to him for some reason…”

He felt Logan’s eyes on him, and he forced himself to stop staring at Gavin with such emotions displayed all over his face. He realized seeing the softer side of Gavin had only resulted in making him fall harder and deeper in love with the teenager, and that was not something to reveal in public, no less.

As wonderfully as he was feeling about Gavin, he had to stop it all. He snapped out of it immediately, abandoning the daydreaming as best he could.

Beside him, Logan snorted as he nodded almost knowingly as he stared deeply and strangely at Nines while a coy smirk formed on his face. Logan wasn’t that bright…was he?

The man sauntered closer to him as he draped a hand over his shoulder, “Kids grow up so fast, I know.”

Nines swallowed.

“I’ve got a daughter almost the same age as Gavin,” he rambled on while Nines grew bored and wanted the conversation to be over already.

“--but I can’t say I’ve really taken _that_ much of an interest in her life…”

Nines felt the world slowing down immediately.

What did Logan mean by this statement?

As he turned to glare at him, he found Logan grinning…almost wickedly at him…as if he was in on a dark secret Nines was fighting and struggling to keep hidden all along. A horrible, dark look crossed over in Logan’s eyes, then, and Nines had to admit it made him nervous.

In the back of his mind, he heard Abby wrap up her conversation with Clarissa. It wouldn’t be too long before the women joined them again, and for once, he felt a sense of relief wash over him when he heard Abby’s laughter ringing about in the air.

Nines glared at Logan. He felt he was doing nothing wrong; he was simply enjoying Gavin being so open, unguarded, and ‘honest’ for the first time since he’d entered the boy’s life. It was refreshing seeing those little wrinkles forming in the corners of his eyes whenever he laughed heartily and cheerfully smiled at everyone without it seeming forced or like a ‘show’. He was learning a lot about this new side of Gavin Reed, and that was all it was.

As far as he was concerned, Nines wasn’t being perverted or looking at the boy in a crude, lewd, concupiscent manner; he was really and sincerely trying to share in the boy’s happiness, his youth, and his warmth. If others such as Logan wished to pervert it, so be it, but he was not going to allow the shorter male to frighten and terrorize him.

Logan leaned closer to him, whispering in his ear while he smiled at the approaching women warmly, “You forget that I’m a man as well,” he sneered, “but I’m certainly not a monster…”

Breaking away from Nines quickly, he placed a kiss on his girlfriend’s cheek once they all regrouped.

Clarissa smiled as she leaned into his lips, “What’re you boys muttering about?”

Covering up for himself rather quickly, Logan slapped Nines across the back playfully, “Just some advice between men, sweetheart,” he winked at Nines, “nothing that exciting.”

Abby cupped her hands around her mouth, “Gavin! We’re leaving now!!”

They all watched as Gavin ran towards them while he panted and sighed, “Aww, already?” he pouted, “I was kinda havin’ fun!”

“Gavin, I’m tired,” his mother hissed down at him, and Nines knew why. She was clearly troubled by what Clarissa had said to her, and she wanted to retire and retreat back to a place that offered comfort; her home.

Understandable.

He gently placed a hand over Gavin’s shoulders, “Let’s go, Gavin.”

The boy shrugged as he tore away from them, already making a beeline for where they’d parked the car.

Nines looked down at his hands after he’d touched Gavin. His skin throbbed and burned deliciously. He closed his fists as he smiled up at Clarissa and Logan.

Logan smiled back, but Clarissa seemed to throw him a displeased look. Probably due to the fact that her best friend regaled to her how Nines was rejecting her, sexually.

Again, understandable.

He bowed his head slightly, “It was a pleasure meeting you both,” he began walking backwards towards the car, remembering to grab Abby’s arm gently in his own.

“—hope we can be seeing more of each other soon, take care.”

He didn’t wait for them to say anything in response; he just dragged Abby through the crowds, her bags in her hands held tightly while she sputtered at him. He only stopped once they were at the trunk of the car. He reached inside her purse, yanked out her keys, and unlocked the trunk.

In one hurried motion, he gathered her groceries and carefully placed them within the trunk while Gavin opened the backseat door and sat in the car gently, this time.

As he hurriedly made his way over towards the driver’s side of the vehicle, he turned and cast a glance over his shoulder into the crowd before him a few feet away.

Clarissa and Logan stood side-by-side, and they gave him blank, cold stares. A moment later, when Abby looked up, they quickly smiled and waved.

Nines however wasn’t fooled.

He started the car angrily, ignoring as Abby waved at her friends from the window until they’d driven away from the farmers’ market.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Logan's appearance is based off Luke Goss (one of my favorite actors, though he's lately been in shite movies, not sure why). Fell in love with him as Prince Nuada in Hellboy 2, though.
> 
> And daaaaaannnng!!! Clarissa's gonna cause trouble Dx  
> Poor Nines!!!


	21. Behind Closed Doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING! SMUT (the good kind!)*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *One of my friends asking about DBH for the first time after reading my fics* : So if the relationship between Gavin and Nines is an example of gay romance in video games, what is a good example of lesbian romance in video games?  
> Me: The best lesbian romance in video games is when Lady Maria did a visceral attack and fucking killed my gay ass in Bloodborne.

Nines hid behind a wall on the second floor of the house as he stood outside Abby’s partially closed office door. She was waiting for her next client, and Gavin was currently in his final period class that Monday afternoon. He hadn’t meant to start spying on the woman, but after their trip to the farmers’ market, Nines no longer trusted and felt comfortable around Clarissa.

He was almost certain that the woman held more of a sway on Abby than she herself could tell, and he was willing to bet anything and his existence that Clarissa and Logan had merely suggested the weekend outing to gain intel and find information on Abby’s life.

She didn’t need friends such as that, but rather than flat out tell her what to do and how to make her own choices, Nines preferred working ‘behind the scenes’ and lingering in the shadows, just so he could be prepared should Logan and Clarissa choose to be a little more than ‘chatty’ with volunteering information to Abby she didn’t need to hear…

Since they’d returned home after their outing event, all of Saturday and Sunday, the darn woman kept ringing Abby. While Abby was occupied Sunday evening cleaning and organizing her office, Nines couldn’t help but feel she was purposefully trying to avoid talking to her best friend. Finally, on Monday afternoon, she picked up the phone, and was chattering softly with the door closed.

She didn’t think Nines was listening, which made him feel even worse for listening and spying in on her conversation, but he was doing it anyway as he stood and leaned against the wall on the left-side of the office door.

Ever since he’d met Logan and Clarissa, Nines knew for a fact that he didn’t like them. Something especially was ‘off’ about Logan, and things had gotten worse when he’d singled Nines out and whispered about his own child and his curiosity and interests in her life…

Plainly put, Nines had a sneaking suspicion that Logan knew more than he was telling. Everything in terms of his worries and fears surrounding that topic had been made clear when he heard Abby emit a gasp.

“Clarissa! How could you say such a thing?!”

Nines willed himself to take his emotions out of the equation, and he focused all his powers and concentration on hacking Abby’s phone as he listened in on her conversation.

He heard Clarissa sigh, “I wasn’t the one who noticed it; Logan did.”

“Noticed _what_?!”

“Your lover’s proclivities…”

He knew where Clarissa was going with this even before Abby did. Still, that didn’t help him feel ‘relaxed’ when he heard her exclaim to Abby: “He’s obsessed with your son!!”

Abby paused for a while before she threw her head back and laughed. Catching herself laughing too loudly, she clasped a hand over her mouth and stopped herself. When she realized Clarissa wasn’t laughing along with her, she cleared her throat.

“Clar,” she sighed the nickname for her friend, “of course Nines cares about Gavin, don’t be silly!!”

The other female huffed, “Caring about your son should only go so far, don’t you think, Abby?”

Abby groaned, “I don’t even understand why we’re having this conversation!” she slapped a hand down on her bare thigh revealed under her low-cut skirt, “Nines just gets along really well with Gavin!”

“Hmm,” Clarissa hummed with a dull, monotonous tone, “Logan thinks it’s _more_ than that…”

Again, Nines wanted to interrupt the conversation, snatch Abby’s phone away from her, and smash it into bits. Clarissa had no right or no business getting involved in their life, but she and her boyfriend apparently thought it was appropriate to do so. He only hoped Abby wasn’t going to feed into her words and buy into this…

Abby shifted, “Logan’s a freak.”

Clarissa shrieked, then, “Don’t you dare judge him!!”

“Clar, you were the one who told me he used to star in porn!”

Nines nearly burst out laughing. No wonder the man saw everything in such a perverted, disgusting way (not that he’d been incorrectly judging Nines) …someone who had _that_ type of a career choice was likely horny and perverted all day long, he supposed, though he didn’t want to think about other people having sex.

Clarissa suddenly snapped, “What’s that got to do with anything?!”

It appeared Abby was thinking the same thought as Nines. “He’s got a _lifetime_ of sex on the brain,” she said as she tried keeping her voice down, “but I’d never expected him to think that Gavin or Nines were gay!”

Her friend tsked, “And they very well may _not_ be gay, Abby,” she answered back in an irritated tone, “but it’s not right seeing them together all the time, and Logan said-”

“Logan said, Logan said,” Abby growled in a childish, mocking tone, “Logan should keep his opinions to himself.”

“It was an observation,” her friend continued on, “but he said he never once saw your boyfriend keep his eyes off your son.”

Nines practically imagined Abby rolling her shoulders as she pulled her knees up into her chest, lying back against the futon, “That’s because Gavin practically has ADHD!” she screamed as she laughed drily, “you have to watch him all the time, practically, and I can’t do it myself forever!”

There was a pregnant pause before Clarissa whispered, “Apparently your _boyfriend_ seems more than comfortable with doing that for you, don’t worry…”

Abby made a strained noise at the back of her throat, which was only a testament as to how frustrated and annoyed she was getting with Clarissa, “Did you two just _have_ to ruin my _one_ chance at happiness?!? Huh?! Was that what you wanted all along?!”

“Abby,” Clarissa urged as softly as she could, “Logan and I just want to see you happy, and believe me, your android isn’t doing that for you at all.”

“Yes he is!!”

“Oh really?” Clarissa huffed, and then snorted, “Is that why he didn’t even kiss you on the lips or cheek _once_ during the entire trip? Especially when Logan took him away for a while?”

Abby stomped a foot down on the floor, and it seemed to powerfully resonate throughout the second-level of the house, “We’re not a ‘hands-on’ couple all the time like you and your ex-porn star boyfriend!!!”

A heated match and battle of wits between the women then ensued, and Nines was so wrapped up in it, that he failed to see and hear Gavin walk in through the front door, home already from school.

“Don’t judge my man because he used to star in adult films, you bitch!” Clarissa spat at Abby.

“You’re just jealous of me because I finally found a real man!” Abby argued back quickly.

A laugh came from Clarissa, “Oh honey,” she sighed and laughed again, “I hardly doubt an android counts as a _real_ man…”

Nines frowned as he hissed out, “Bitch…”

Gavin leaned against the wall beside him and smirked devilishly, “Who’s a bitch?”

Nines spun around quickly. Once the teenager had his attention, he saw Nines’ LED light blink, and he then looked at his mother’s half-closed office door. Moments later, Abby’s screaming sounded and echoed louder.

He quickly put two-and-two together. “You’re spying on my mom!!” he raised a finger and gasped as he then threw his head back and laughed loudly.

It had been said during the worst time, and Abby had been in the middle of throwing another insult, when she clearly heard Gavin’s outburst. Nines slammed a hand down over Gavin’s mouth and dragged him inside his bedroom a few feet away from Abby’s office in a hurry.

“Clarissa?” Abby had definitely heard them, and she was already making her way out of her office, “I’ll call you later.”

Not waiting to hear her friend’s response, Abby disconnected the call as she opened her office door. She peered inside the empty hallway and called out: “Nines? Gavin?”

Only the empty hallway greeted her, and she suspiciously frowned at Gavin’s closed bedroom door. She took a few steps towards it, hand slowly stretching out for the doorknob. She was inches away from grabbing it, when the doorbell rang loudly.

DING DONG!!!!

She shrieked as she leapt up and slapped a hand over her mouth. Little giggles escaped her, and she brushed her hair out of her eyes as she stretched her back and neck and then made her way downstairs to greet her clients.

On the other side of the bedroom door, Nines had pressed Gavin right up against the wood of the door, their lips pressed against each other in silence.

When Abby’s welcoming voice greeted her clients as she allowed them in the home, Gavin blew a puff of air against Nines’ lips. The boy blew a little raspberry, the farting sound making Nines growl as he removed his mouth from Gavin’s.

Nines scowled at Gavin, clearly not in the mood for his frivolous games, but Gavin pressed on, anyway. He began pawing at Nines desperately, grinding their hips together while Nines tried pulling away from him.

“Can’t you be serious for a moment?” Nines threw out angrily, but Gavin merely chuckled as he kissed the android’s long neck.

“What’s wrong, Nines?” His hips gyrated sensually against Nines’, “can’t take a little kinky-fuckery?”

Nines threw him a heated glare, “Gavin…”

A loud ‘zip’ sound was heard, suddenly, and Nines saw Gavin unzipping his jeans, as well as his own in a few short moments.

He leaned against Nines, hooking his arms around his neck as he pulled his body flush against his own, “Shh…just fuckin’ enjoy the moment…”

Nines pressed a hand against Gavin’s chest, trying to wedge it between their bodies while he was slammed against the teen so he could work away from Gavin’s heat. It was all too much to handle, suddenly.

“Gavin,” lips roughly claimed his, and he yanked his head away angrily, “Gavin!”

The boy sighed, “Whaaaaat?!?!?”

Nines sputtered, searching for the right words as he saw Gavin’s face turning pink, possibly from the mounting sexual arousal.

He sighed, “I think Clarissa and Logan have some… ‘funny’ ideas about our relationship, if you know what I mean…”

Praying and hoping that got the message across, Nines wished for Gavin to at least let him go, but the adolescent winked as he wrapped a leg around his waist seductively.

“Well Nines,” he licked a small, wet stripe down the android’s neck, “joke’s on Clarissa; she’s the one dating an ex-porn star! Ha!!”

Before Nines could explode in rage, Gavin slid his hands down the front of his pants, and soon, his nimble fingers were beneath his boxers and already seeking out his heated flesh.

Nines felt something stirring in the back of his mind, and he gripped the back of Gavin’s neck in a hand as he stood tall and glared down into Gavin’s eyes, “Oh no you don’t.”

He easily dominated the shorter male, and he rammed his back a little roughly against the door while biting his neck.

“I’ll teach you not to fuck with me, you fucking brat,” Nines growled out, though it was meant for the foreplay and growing sexual tension between the both of them, which Gavin happily reciprocated with a little moan.

Slamming Gavin against his door further, Nines gripped his hands and made sure they were away and off his own body. He held both of Gavin’s in one of his own hands as he pressed the boy’s hands above his head, and soon, he’d yanked down Gavin’s jeans almost violently, though it seemed to turn on the teenager more, in fact.

Soon, Nines felt his way around Gavin’s tight ass, and he groped and pinched the globes in his free hand while biting down hard on his shoulder.

“Fuuuuuuuuuck!” Gavin slammed forward into Nines, and the android merely chuckled deeply while he let go of both of Gavin’s hands, and used his other free one to snake its way down behind Gavin’s back, while the other was already reaching for his firm cock.

In a few strokes, Gavin was beyond aroused, and he was practically humping Nines’ hand while the android slipped a finger inside the boy’s needy hole beneath his underwear.

Leaning in close to his ear, Nines bit the flesh softly while whispering, “We’re going to focus on just _your_ pleasure for now, Gavin.”

That seemed to be fine by Gavin, and he moaned loudly, but Nines carefully swallowed it as he claimed Gavin’s mouth once more. His middle finger was steadily pumping Gavin, and his hand was doing it to his cock in the same rhythm, simultaneously.

Gavin turned to jelly, soon, and as he was stretched further and further, he practically began drooling while Nines feasted on his shoulder and neck. Downstairs, Abby was heard engaging in a conversation with her clients, and Nines had to wonder why they weren’t heading up to the office, yet. He forgot about that when Gavin’s muscles clenched and tightened around his finger still deeply buried inside his body up until the second knuckle.

In a response to how Gavin’s body was so sweetly reacting to him, Nines rewarded him by pulling on his cock in the delicious manner Gavin often liked, and the boy practically cooed in his arms as a result of it.

While he plundered Gavin’s mouth, Nines made sure to be a little more daring and bolder, and he ran his knuckles over Gavin’s balls sensually before returning to his erection. It delighted the teenager, and he practically grew harder than ever right in the palm of his hand.

Both of them wished they could never stop or end this, and as tongues and lips fought and struggled for dominance, there was suddenly a brief respite from it…

Gavin relaxed against Nines, and the android felt it completely as he held the boy in his arms. He almost seemed… ‘at peace’ as he made their kiss turn from one that was carnally-charged, to one that was almost slow and experimental…it was as if they were feeling and kissing each other for the first time.

Each sensation was still new for Nines, and he came to the conclusion that this type of love was the one that he would never find anywhere else, and never with anyone else. Only Gavin Reed would be able to make him feel this way, and it was all the more reason not to ever let the boy out of his sight. He only wanted Gavin, and he was going to have him, one way or another.

He licked away into the teenager’s mouth while he sensed Gavin coming all over his hand after the last few firm strokes, and Nines swiftly added a second finger before Gavin really began exploding and leaking between their abdomens.

The sounds and noises were quickly drowned out as Nines bit down on Gavin’s lips, silently warning the boy not to make any more noises as he shuddered and shook against him.

The musky scent of sweat and come was heavy in the air, and Nines reluctantly let Gavin go while cleaning him up quickly and efficiently. His forehead was the last to be cleaned, and Nines merely licked the salty sweat he found there, letting his tongue do the discoveries for him as he heard Gavin groan while completely removing his jeans and boxers.

“Gross,” he snickered playfully, kicking the stained garments aside.

Nines backed away from him and took one look at his spent cock, “I don’t find it gross; I find it beautiful, actually.”

White teeth flashed and formed a long, cheeky grin, and Gavin kissed Nines deeply while holding onto his cheeks in both his hands. He sighed and melted into the kiss, ruffling the android’s brown hair, but before things could turn ‘wilder’ for Nines, he gently broke out of their embrace.

Wiping his lips furiously, Nines glared at Gavin while his mother crept upstairs and finally led her clients into her office. Once the door was shut and Gavin was ‘decent’, Nines sighed as he opened Gavin’s bedroom door and pointed down the stairs.

“Clean yourself up, and get dressed,” he encouraged softly, while trying to will his needy erection down, “let’s make dinner while your mother’s working.”

Gavin shrugged as he hurriedly put on fresh clothes, “Okay!” he ran past Nines, already halfway down the steps when he turned back and called: “I’m always hungry anyway!”

Throwing an incredulous look his way, Nines fixed his hair as he sighed and repressed a shiver.

_Yes, you always had quite an appetite, Gavin…a rather insatiable one, at that._

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

The rest of the week passed in silence; Nines and Gavin studying together and managing to somehow keep their hands and lips away from each other whenever Abby watched them like an eagle from above.

It proved to be one of the greatest challenges of all time for Nines especially, because not only did he now have his lust to worry about hiding, but he was also fully aware of his software instability…

After his last romantic-sexual encounter with Gavin, he’d seized up after trying to go about his regular chores and tasks early one morning, and he’d been overtaken and overrun with something that he’d never felt before.

Whatever it was, Nines found himself unable to explain it and replicate it. His body had gone through what was akin to how a human being experienced a seizure; he’d nearly dropped down to the floor in a frozen-stiff state, and he’d shook and convulsed for nearly five full minutes before his head buzzed as if someone had taken a chainsaw to it.

If there was pain, he was sure he was feeling it, but there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it and fight back. He was even unable to gain control over his own body, and his limbs tightened and clenched as he saw a mass of information overwhelming him and drowning him far deep into whatever they represented and meant.

Numbers, data, memories, images, motions that weren’t his own all plagued him and possessed him, and before he knew it, everything had exploded and been wiped out. At first, he thought that someone had erased all his memories, but he was relieved to find that the ones surrounding Gavin was still easily accessible.

But what had happened?!?

Nines had nearly missed it, but he caught the little ‘ _software instability: 100%’_ sign flashing in the right-hand corner of his eyes, and he knew what had happened to him, right then.

He was now fully deviant.

Ignoring it was only going to make things worse, and after he’d gotten up off the floor, he’d realized that he’d unconsciously been repressing it the entire time as it was mounting and building up along the weeks. Some androids held the capability to be able to push back and resist becoming deviant, but it took an incredible will and feat of strength that couldn’t be measured physically to be able to do that.

More often than not, androids who resisted and refused to give into their program and software enabling them to turn deviant either shut down or self-destructed. He knew this, and to fight it was futile.

It was time to give into it, like all other things.

Nines knew he was slowly stripping away from his previous life, but the one he was walking towards didn’t seem so bad, either…

But how was he to hide it, now? There was _no_ way he could saunter up to Abby and explain his predicament! No way!

He’d been drained of energy and strength, and he had to recuperate and make up for it, quickly. Nines retreated to the couch in the living room later that same day in the afternoon, and he found that both Abby and Gavin were already occupying the room.

Gavin was watching TV, while his mother worked on something using her laptop.

Strangely, even though the TV was on the entire time, this room was somehow the quietest one in the entire house. The other rooms buzzed with electronics and appliances, and clocks ticked and tocked above on walls. No…those rooms wouldn’t do.

He’d made himself as ‘comfortable’ as he could, stretching himself out on the couch as he placed his shoe-less feet on the far end of the armrest, and wedged a pillow beneath his head as he closed his eyes and rested a hand over his forehead.

A part of him worried about Gavin being so close in proximity to his mother while still hiding his tattoo, but Gavin had been very wise and clever with how he was hiding his tattoo; he never wore short-sleeve shirts around his mother, and when the weather had grown so hot he couldn’t avoid it, he simply wore a thin, jogging sweater over his wife-beater shirts or other summer tops.

It worked for the most part, and Abby was far too busy with her own clients and therapy sessions that she hardly took notice of Gavin’s unusual form of dress, thankfully.

Due to his pain from the change in his system and programming, Nines completely lost track of time. He knew he’d suffered a ‘violent’ internal attack that same day early in the morning, but he hadn’t realized that Monday bled into Friday, suddenly, and he had totally forgotten about Gavin’s upcoming visit with his father, as would occur every final Friday of the month.

Abby was the one who’d brought it up.

The three of them were all seated inside the large living room for almost two hours, with Gavin munching on a bowl of popcorn in the early evening, while his mother sat on a single-seat sofa, and Nines still occupied the length of a loveseat while lying down and staring up at the ceiling.

He’d been feeling a little ‘better’ since he spent the morning resting, and luckily, since Abby considered him one of the family, she didn’t seem to ask him questions about the little ‘naps’ he’d taken on the couch. She considered it a part of ‘family time’, and as long as she phrased it that way, everyone was happy, it seemed.

Abby was busy typing something on her laptop, and she looked up at Gavin lying down on the floor as he reached for more popcorn.

She sighed, clearly exhausted, “Gavin, don’t eat all of that,” she closed her laptop lid, “you’re going to lose your appetite before you go to your father’s in an hour and half.”

Both Gavin and Nines rose up. His pain was suddenly all gone and forgotten; as a psychological and emotional one replaced it, now. Nines did a sit-up without any hands involved, as they rested firmly down to his sides.

The teenager had apparently also been taken by surprise. Gavin smashed his hand against the popcorn bowl, sending bits of it flying everywhere in a mess.

“Gavin! The carpet!!” Abby screamed as she threw a hand up helplessly in the air.

No…

He didn’t want Gavin to leave again, but Nines knew there was no way he could keep Gavin from seeing his father. Truthfully, he’d not exactly regretted what had happened in the motel room, but ethically and morally? Nines knew he was bankrupt in that department. He was separating a boy from seeing his biological father, and that was horrid, evil, cruel, and disgustingly low.

Draping an arm around the top of the sofa, Nines dropped his legs to the floor as he spun on his seat to face Abby, “Is he staying there for the entire weekend?”

She smiled, “Yes, Nines.”

Dear god…

He didn’t want to be left alone with this woman, but before he could offer up a suggestion, Abby set down her laptop on the coffee table as she got up and stretched.

“I can’t keep Gavin from his father,” she reached down and pet her son’s head gently, “and I’d say he’s earned a weekend visit, after doing his homework and attending classes regularly for once.”

Gavin frowned at her while smiling in an exaggerated manner, “Gee, thanks mom!”

There was still the issue of what Abby was going to do to him now that they were going to be alone. Standing up to his feet, Nines stared at her with pleading eyes.

“Abby,” he started softly, and he saw Gavin sticking out his tongue as he pretended to vomit.

“—what’re, I mean-you?”

She smiled, “I’m going to see my sister, Nines, don’t worry.”

He felt relieved immediately, but he was also a tad curious. He shifted as he smiled at her, remembering to play the part of a ‘dutiful android’ bound to her, “Would you like me to accompany you?”

She hummed, as if thinking about it for a moment. She then shook her head, “No, Nines,” behind her, Gavin flicked a little popcorn kernel at her back, but she didn’t feel it through her small see-through blouse.

“—it’s just some girl talk and advice.”

Gavin interjected as he turned off the TV, “Yeah, you’d be bored, Nines!”

His mother playfully ruffled his hair as she draped a hand around his neck and suddenly pulled him into her chest. The short teenager growled as he stepped on his mother’s bare feet while trying to shove her away from him.

“Let me go!!”

Abby playfully tugged his earlobe, and then nose, “ _This_ is for throwing the popcorn on the floor,” she then released him, swatting him once on the ass as he stumbled into Nines.

“—and _that_ was for flicking popcorn later at me!!”

Gavin stuck his tongue out at her once he’d caught his balance again, and she mimicked it. At face value, Nines really thought the entire ordeal was actually ‘cute’. Here was a family, playing around, and for once, relaxing. He’d never seen Abby as open and playful around her son since the day he’d arrived, but now? It was as if a whole new woman had taken her place.

She laughed and ran forward to give Gavin a small hug, squeezing him to her body as he gasped and pretended to choke.

As he watched them play around and chase each other around the coffee table, mother and son laughing and cackling as they ran about, Nines felt a small smile tugging along on his face…

_They’re having fun together…a family…this is my family…_

He snapped out of it when Abby caught Gavin, and he gave Nines a knowing glance. If they were going to chat or be together in some way, they didn’t have much time before Gavin had to leave…

Still, his chest hurt, but he forced a smile on his face while Abby looked down at her nails, still holding Gavin against her chest as she looped her arms around his back and over his shoulders.

She glanced up and hummed, “You know what? I’m going to get my hair and nails done!” she bounced up and down as she cheered, “I’m going to do it, right _now_!!”

Her son scoffed as he escaped her hold around him, “Umm, why?”

She placed a hand on her hip as she beamed at Nines with pride, “Because Nines is right; I need to look after number one before I can do anything else!!”

She sauntered upstairs, dressing quickly before she ran out the front door dressed in tight jean shorts and a tight, red top that barely came up to her bellybutton.

“I’m looking forward to my girl’s night out with myself!” She announced this joyfully as she winked at Gavin, and then Nines.

Watching her run to her car, Gavin yelled out: “You’re a dork, mom!”

“Love you too, Gavin!”

Noticing she’d left crucial things she needed behind, Nines grabbed her purse as he waved it in the air while stepping out onto the front porch, “Abby!! You left your purse!!”

The woman gasped as she giggled and ran back to them. Throwing her arms around Nines and giving him a tight hug, she allowed him to drape the purse strap over one of her shoulders while Gavin shook his head in disbelief.

His mother noticed it and snorted, “Don’t give me that look, Gavin!” stepping closer to her teenage son, she shifted her hips, and they swayed and slammed lightly against his.

Gavin growled, and butt-slammed and hip-slammed her back in the same way, but Abby didn’t seem to mind. She was in an ecstatically good mood, and she kept swaying her hips from side-to-side as she half-danced-half-jogged back towards the door after ruffling her son’s hair again.

When she’d finally driven off, Nines kicked the front door shut as he swiped Gavin off the floor and into his arms, carrying him upstairs while the teenager giggled and play-struggled.

They only had a certain amount of time to enjoy each other, and Nines was determined to not even waste a second of it.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines gently rolled off Gavin, the boy panting and sweating heavily from their second round of lovemaking. Try as he may, Nines was slowly beginning to understand that it was damn near impossible to stay away from Gavin.

They’d tumbled and entangled themselves in both their own limbs, as well as the bedsheets the moment their clothes were pulled off by one another, and Gavin had placed himself eagerly on top of Nines. The android helped him move gently and slowly above him on his lap, gripping his hips tenderly in his hands as he guided him up and down over his cock slowly, not wanting the moment to be over any time soon.

Gavin was getting better with his movements and motions; he’d done everything perfectly, and after almost finishing on top of Nines, the android rolled him over and rubbed their heated arousals together slowly. He dragged out their pleasure for as long as he could before it became unbearable.

The teenager soon took over when Nines’ hands and fingers slipped, and Nines discovered that Gavin had even gotten better with his hands…

He was able to take full control over his hand over both his own penis and Nines’, and soon, the android had exploded a few seconds before Gavin had. He groaned out Gavin’s name in full satisfaction as he released himself between their bodies and mashed their lips together in a desperate, passionate cry of exertion to conclude their heated lovemaking for the evening.

When they’d cleaned each other off, they lay side-by-side on Gavin’s bed as they linked their fingers together while staring into each other’s eyes lovingly.

Nines snickered after he’d been silent long enough, “You’ve gotten better at kissing and touching,” he remarked factually.

Gavin blushed and swatted his chest, “Shut up!”

“It’s true.”

“Such a perv, Nines,” the boy breathed as he licked the android’s nose playfully.

A wink came his way as Nines snickered, “You know it.”

They went back to enjoying the silence between each other for a while, and Nines trailed his hands up and down Gavin’s arms. He found he was really enjoying the sight of the new tattoo, even though he’d once abhorred and despised the idea that Gavin ever wanted one to begin with.

“Your tattoo suits you,” he whispered as he leaned forward and kissed the center of the leafy green mark.

Gavin sighed as he stretched his legs up and over Nines’, trapping his own between the android’s longer ones, “So glad you noticed, Nines!”

“What can I say?” his eyes travelled down the length of the boy’s body, “I notice every little thing about you, Gavin…”

When he saw what appeared to be a purple-blue mark near the inside of Gavin’s left thigh, Nines frowned and tilted his head. He double-checked to make sure if he was seeing and witnessing it correctly, and he scanned the mark within a second. It was a mark that had been created by someone roughly grabbing Gavin’s body there…

Nines was livid.

He threw back the sheets as much as he could, yanking Gavin’s leg up as he bent down to inspect it.

“Nines?! What’re you doing?!” Gavin hissed as he tried shifting away, but Nines had a firm grip on him.

“How did this happen, Gavin?!” he pointed at the bruise, “ _who_ did this?!”

The teenager sighed as he leaned back and draped a hand across his forehead, “Who do you think, Nines?”

The bullies…

Nines remembered them kicking the back of Gavin’s chair when he attended his French class the day Nines made sure Gavin went to class. He’d hated how he’d seen the boy being treated back then, but he’d been so sure that Gavin had somehow dealt with it on his own…

Perhaps it was the time to have the chat he’d wanted to have with Gavin all along, now.

Sitting up and propping two pillows behind his head, he gathered Gavin to his chest as he gently ran his fingers through the teenager’s messy hair.

“You have to learn to stand up to them some time, Gavin,” he spoke softly and gently while he delivered one little comforting kiss to the top of Gavin’s skull.

“—otherwise, they’ll just continue pushing you around like this for a while.”

The boy sighed as he stretched himself out beside Nines and played with the sheets around them, “I know, Nines,” his fingers crept up to the android’s taut abs, “I’ve been worryin’ about it myself, and I can’t take another detention or phone call from Mr. Baxter to my mom…”

He sniffed the boy’s hair, “Just know that violence won’t solve it; you should confront them as rationally as possible, or stop showing a reaction whenever they call you names and insult you,” Nines offered logically.

“But won’t that make me a little cowardly bitch?”

“No, not at all, Gavin,” he reassured the teen calmly, “you’re better than them, and most of the time, they’re probably only chasing you for a reaction out of you, more than likely.”

The blue-eyed teen looked at him incredulously, “Do you think so?”

Nines pulled back as he wrapped a hand around Gavin’s shoulder, “I know so.” The look he gave the teenager must’ve convinced him, and he nodded as he rested his head on Nines’s chest gently while he traced random shapes on his sternum and stomach slowly.

Taking a small interest in what the teenager was doing, Nines flicked his eyes down and studied the little fingers gliding around and over his flesh like ice-skates skating along the cold, beautifully smooth surface of an ice rink.

Unfortunately, he knew they couldn’t stay together like this for much longer when he saw the time on Gavin’s night table.

“Is your mother going to come get you and take you to your father’s?” he asked as he lazily stretched himself out and sat up.

Gavin let out a choked, dry laugh, “Are you kiddin’ me?” he shook his head and kicked his legs up as he slowly began to rise from lying down, “she won’t get within even a foot of my dad’s house.”

He could understand why, but he asked anyway, “How come?”

“She hates my dad.”

Again, he knew that. If Abby Reed was really putting an effort into forcing Gavin to get rid of a simple mug that represented his father’s presence being in the house, then there was no surprise given with her wanting to avoid him physically.

“There must be more to it than that, Gavin…” He was pushing his luck, but then he felt Gavin’s heart pulsating gently and steadily against his sides. It appeared the boy was calm and relaxed as ever, and Nines took the opportunity to ask about one of the many things he was curious about.

“Tell me?”

The teenager looked at his hands on the android’s chest, “My mom was really, madly in love with my dad…even before they were engaged.”

He was confused, “I thought that’s usually how relationships were formed, Gavin?” He didn’t want to say and admit too much in the strange possibility that Gavin would catch on and still not be prepared for such heavy, intense declarations of love, and not wanting to scare his lover away, he tried playing it cool and calm as he looked down at the floor and avoided eye contact.

The boy shook his head, “No, he was her first love…like…” he blushed as he snickered and gazed at a spot on Nines’s sternum, “she literally lost her virginity to my dad…”

“Oh.”

While he didn’t need to hear or know about Abby’s sexual history, Nines absolutely understood now why she was so sensitive around her ex-husband.

“They say your first love is the one you’ll never forget,” Gavin commented as he ran his fingernails gently up and down the length of Nines’s arm.

He had to agree. In a weird way, he’d lost his own ‘virginity’ to Gavin, and Gavin had lost his to Nines. While it was odd being an android (even a new deviant) who was open and accepting of human culture, mannerisms, sociology, behavior, values, morals, and ethics, Nines did in fact feel that due to being Gavin’s first love, and due to Gavin being his first love, there was just no conceivable, possible way for him to ever let Gavin go and love someone else even half as much as he loved the teenager lying in his arms.

To think of it even made him dizzy and numb with pain all over, and he shook himself as he let go of those negative, horrible thoughts and watched Gavin wander over to his closet as he slowly began preparing clothes and packing items he needed for staying the weekend at his father’s place.

“Do you think your mother still loves him?” Okay…that was a question he hadn’t meant to ask out loud. It was a thought spinning in his mind, and had he been less ‘deviant’, he was certain he’d be able to shut his mouth properly and keep that question to himself. But it was now out in the open, and it was too late to take it back. All he could do was look away bashfully, but Gavin didn’t seem to mind and didn’t want to lash out at him for it.

The teenager sighed and then emitted a tiny laugh, “Who knows with my mom,” he stated as he bit his lower lip in thought, “she falls in love easily, and when she falls…” he let out a little, low whistle as his eyebrows rose up, “well, there’s no way to save her from her own doom, if you know what I mean…”

He’d already taken one step into the realm of ‘none-of-his-fucking-business’, so what was wrong with one more question?

“Does…does your f-father still love her?” He winced at himself, apprehensive of Gavin’s response. He hoped he hadn’t pushed it this time.

The boy rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, but remained silent as he thought about it. After some time, he merely gave a half-shrug, “I honestly have no idea, but I remember before their divorce, they really seemed…inseparable…”

Okay, that was enough. He sensed Gavin’s heartrate increasing, and it was a sign that this conversation had to continue perhaps a few weeks down the road. The answers he’d received were plenty good enough, and he was content with them.

Nines sat up on the bed, leaning a hand over a pillow once he’d placed it beneath his chest while his eyes followed every move Gavin made around the clean bedroom. He watched with endless curiosity and satisfaction in his eyes as Gavin pulled a long-sleeved blue shirt over his head and then bounced on one foot while he worked himself into one pant leg of his dark, skinny jeans.

Nines smiled, “Don’t think I’ve seen you wear those before.”

“They’re new,” Gavin replied in a lazy drawl.

“Hmm…” Nines lay down on his chest and stomach, and rested his chin on the back of a hand crossed over on the edge of the mattress and bed, “what do you want to do with your life when you’re older?”

Gavin laughed softly, “Random?”

“Sorry,” Nines was soon joining him in a laugh, but Gavin waved it off.

He paced over towards his mirror as he checked himself out quickly, “I dunno,” he shrugged, and his reflection did as well, “I haven’t really thought about it a lot.”

Nines played with a loose thread in the bedsheets coolly, “Surely you’re interested in something, Gavin.”

The teenager gently closed his closet door as he yawned, “Well, I do know for a fact I wanna go to college,” he turned around and packed his schoolbag to the top with clothes, his deodorant, a book, and made sure his binders and homework was there within it as well.

“—like that’s not even up for a debate; I’m _going_ to attend college.”

Nines gave him a warm, proud smile, “I’m very happy to hear that, Gavin.” He sat up as he straightened his upper torso out while Gavin beamed at him.

Suddenly shy with his own state of undress, Nines sighed, “I know it’s not easy to decide what you may want to do with your life at such a young a young age, but I appreciate that you have the courage to at least give it some thought.”

The confidence and sincere tones helped the mood turn more positive, and Nines could literally see and feel the joy resonating from Gavin’s face as his cheeks heated up. He gave the android a bashful smile as he zipped his bag up.

“I know this may sound kinda funny,” he placed the bag on the bed next to Nines, “but I wanna try and work for the Detroit Police Department one day…”

Nines emitted a playful, exaggerated gasp as he clutched at his chest like if he were having a heart attack, “Okay,” he snickered as his eyes went wide, “who’re you, and what have you done with the Gavin Reed who was aimless, shiftless, and too busy with video games?”

The teenager smirked as he playfully pushed down on the back of Nines’ head. They wrestled with each other for a moment before Nines asked: “So why do you want to become a cop?”

Gavin shook his head, “Detective-I want to be a detective one day.”

“Hmm,” the android seemed to bounce the idea around in his head as his arms came up on either side of Gavin’s body, trapping him close to his chest for a tight embrace.

“—Detective Reed…I think I like the sound of that…” he tossed Gavin a little wink, and the teenager laughed happily and excitedly as he pushed Nines back down onto the mattress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and his attitude, but yes, joke's on Clarissa for sure 😁👌  
> Okay, all jokes aside, we had a LOT of shit go down this chapter, my mans!  
> Nines turned 100% deviant, Gavin's gonna see his dad, we learned more about Abby and Allen (the ex husband), Abby was being kind of cute and playful with Gavin, and now Nines will MEET Allen soon! 😲😲🤯🤯🤯  
> WHAT'S GOING ON???


	22. Allen Reed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally a chapter you should really pay attention to. That's all I can say on it for now!

As Nines drove Gavin towards his father’s house, he couldn’t help but notice that something about the teenager had indeed changed. It was impossible not to detect it in the behavior and feelings emanating from the adolescent seated in the passenger seat close to him. As Gavin spoke on about his future plans, goals, desires, and ambitions, Nines realized one important thing he was unable to deny anymore:

Gavin Reed was slowly maturing and growing up.

It was practically unmistakable now, even in the way the young teen spoke. His voice hadn’t grown even the slightest bit deeper where someone else listening to it could definitively say ‘this boy is soon becoming a man’, but he seemed somehow ‘calmer’ and more ‘collected’ than ever before. Nines didn’t want to interrupt him once as he dove into topics surrounding raising children, society, and issues of humans and androids living together as couples.

He was a breath of fresh air to Nines, and he lost himself in their conversation until Gavin took a breath and said: “You talk for a bit, Nines, I’m just textin’ my mom to let her know I’m okay.”

Nines nodded, “It’s fine, Gavin.”

As he heard the teen texting away next to him, he placed a hand on his forehead while he drove on into the night. The evening sun was still seen in the distance above the clouds, looming nicely. The days were getting much longer, as they were nearly in the month of May, now. Still, there was a strange-yet warm-evening shower that had drizzled down all over during their trip.

It wasn’t too bad; it made the grounds and pavement smell fresh, everything was getting clean, and it helped things cool off after the heat of the sun beat down on everyone.

Nines could hardly believe that he’d been with the Reeds for nearly three whole months, now. He’d heard of humans proclaiming that time flew when they were having fun-perhaps it was much the same for androids as well…

“Gavin…” he began with a question he wondered if he should have asked, but before he could be a coward and change his mind, he pressed on, “does your father even pick you up at your mother’s house?”

He often wondered why Allen Reed had never made any attempt to pick up Gavin from Abby’s home, but he supposed there was a good, strong, logical reason for that…

“Oh he picks me up,” Gavin explained as he put his phone away when he was done with texting his mother, “but my mom usually is either with her clients, asleep, or she hides away somewhere in the house because she doesn’t want to see him.”

“Why?”

Gavin looked out the slightly wet window, “She says it’ll make things awkward, and that there’s a possibility she’ll start missing him again…”

Nines couldn’t believe this. He took a keen interest as he cleared his throat, “How can she miss him, though?” After all, wasn’t Allen Reed supposedly an adulterer and cheater? Unless…unless he was misunderstood?

Biting his tongue once, Nines swallowed as he blinked over at Gavin, “Gavin…” he waited until the boy looked over at him from the window for a brief moment before looking back out it.

“—why did your father and mother get a divorce?”

There.

He’d gone and asked the question he never should have asked, but he’d asked it nonetheless. He wished he could have prevented or stopped himself from asking, as he saw Gavin visibly wince as he stared at him from the reflection in the window. Why was he so insensitive sometimes?!

Before Nines could take it back and tell Gavin to forget it, the boy stretched out his legs as he sighed, “Because my mom thought my dad was sleeping with his secretary at the time.”

Wait…

She _thought_ he’d been having an affair?! Thought?! Now this was totally different than what Nines had presupposed and assumed had happened.

From the way Abby had made it sound the same day he’d eavesdropped on her conversation with her ex, Allen Reed had run off with a younger woman…or had he?

Now Nines was confused, but he allowed Gavin to speak.

“She was always suspicious and suspectin’ him of fuckin’ around behind her back,” he traced a random shape into the window with his index and middle finger. The dewy, steamy glass squeaked as he drew a little sad face onto the surface of it while Nines tried paying attention to his driving.

His finger slowed its motions on the glass, “He’d always had his eyes on her; he loved my mom more than anything, but she just _had_ to be so insecure…”

It was _her_ fault? Nines listened on, trying not to make any false accusations or judgements, though he was so emotionally invested in this family now, that it was damn near impossible not to leap to conclusions.

“But she just wouldn’t stop; she kept spyin’ on him, monitorin’ him, and at one point, she even got me all brainwashed enough to spy on him when she couldn’t do it herself because he’d hid his phone and laptop from her…”

Gavin bit his lower lip before carrying on, “I didn’t know why she was askin’ me to always hang around my dad whenever he was in his office, on his laptop, on the phone…I just thought she wanted me to spend more time with him, but I soon realized and learned that she was just gettin’ me around him to peek into his phone and laptop to see if he was cheatin’ on her!”

Nines felt absolutely horrible for the teen. Due to the behavior Abby displayed around her son, Nines knew she loved him, but it perhaps seemed as if she’d given him a last priority in the past…

But what did he know of love between parents and their children? Gavin wasn’t his son, was never seen as a son to him, and he’d just barely gotten used to how it felt being in love with someone…

He couldn’t judge, so he didn’t.

Gavin’s shoulders tensed, but he explained the rest of his past to Nines without pause, “Mom was furious with him for literally _no_ reason, which led to them arguin’ over girlfriends he was supposedly seein’…”

Still looking at the world beyond the window, Gavin repressed a sad sigh, “She repeated that shit all day and night to him, that I think she put the idea to leave us in his head in the first place, ironically,” Gavin concluded as he began playing with his fingernails while Nines slowed the car down at a red light.

He sighed, “She just wouldn’t stop complainin’ and bitchin’…I mean, it doesn’t make what he did right, but can you really blame a guy for wantin’ to seek out new companionship when the woman he loves and has a kid with is always angry at him and thinkin’ the worst about him?”

Not waiting for a response from the android, Gavin snorted as he shook his head, “Maybe it wasn’t even that, though…” he held a hand against his head and squeezed his temple, as if repressing or pushing down a forming headache.

“—maybe if I hadn’t ever spied on dad and put him under pressure by gettin’ into trouble a lot at school, _maybe_ he would’ve stayed with my mom…” he let out a sad sigh that made Nines seize up as if he’d been electrocuted.

He couldn’t bear to hear that sound escape from Gavin ever again.

Nines leaned to the right and gently pulled on Gavin’s seatbelt enough so the boy’s body was flush against his. No sooner than a second had gone by as they were pressed against each other when Nines gently tilted Gavin’s chin up with a finger while stroking his cheek softly with another hand.

“Hey,” he whispered in a small, fleeting breath, “it’s not your fault, okay?”

Gavin’s eyes flickered down.

Nines tapped his finger on Gavin’s nose, then, “You hear me?” he repeated himself while the light was still red above in the streets, “ _nothing_ you did was the reason for why your parents divorced.”

Gavin sniffed, but it didn’t appear like he was going to cry. He offered Nines a genuine smile that reassured the android that everything was going to be okay.

“Yeah, I hear ya, Nines.”

The android mirrored the smile, “Good.”

It was time to get the car back in motion again, and Nines drove forward while Gavin looked out the window. Nines could tell a part of him was still feeling nervous and anxious, so he reached out with his right hand and gripped Gavin’s left hand. He placed it just by the outside of his right thigh as they drove on.

Eventually, Gavin smiled as he pointed at a dark house Nines had nearly driven by, “It’s here, Nines.”

Doing a double-take, Nines couldn’t believe the house that Gavin’s father supposedly owned. It was a very small, two story bungalow that was made up of grey-brown bricks, and the yard outside in the front-although rather organized-seemed almost ‘lifeless’ in comparison to Abby’s front yard.

Abby had a lot of lavish greens and was an avid gardener, whereas her ex-husband seemed to only mow the lawn, but that was it. Parts of it were scorched, and it didn’t seem like he cared to take care of it. The trees in the front had been cut down to stumps, and the house seemed ‘dead’. All lights were off inside, and for a moment, Nines wondered if anyone was even home…

But then, when they pulled up in the driveway, the motion detection lights went on, and Nines was able to see another car parked inside the small garage from the glass inserts in the top of the garage door.

Nines squinted at the house plate number resting above the garage door, but beneath the lights hanging in the center. It read: 598 Barker Street East.

They were in the right area for sure, but this house…

To say it needed remodeling and renovating was still a joke; the roof shingles were so old that Nines was positive the roof was going to collapse if heavy rain or snow fell on it. Cobwebs and other piles of dirt, mud, and leaves were stuck all over in the drainpipes and eavestroughs, and the house suddenly seemed older and messier than Nines had originally noticed or given it credit for.

How could Gavin want to stay in a place like this?!

How did Allen Reed even live here, for that matter?!

“Umm, Nines?” He was brought back to earth when Gavin tapped on the dashboard, “may wanna shut off the engine, now…wastin’ gas…just sayin’…”

He looked down at the keys and nodded, “Right, sorry.” At once, the car stopped purring and humming when he turned and removed the keys from the ignition.

They sat side-by-side in silence until it had grown uncomfortable. He sensed Gavin staring at him in the dark, almost as if he was lost, confused, and delirious. He was staring at Nines in a way that seemed to say: ‘so what do we do, now?’

Nines unlocked the car doors, but didn’t open his own door to step out.

He faced forward directly as he whispered to Gavin, “Do you really have to go?”

The teenager gaped at him with a slightly shocked expression before he snickered, “Miss me already, babe?”

Nines hissed at him in a low warning, which caused Gavin to slap his right knee, “Just kidding around, Nines.”

“I mean it,” Nines started, looking at the dashboard, the rearview mirror, outside his side of the window, at anything except at Gavin directly. He was feeling a little more than overwhelmed and shy, to say the least.

Gavin leaned a head against his shoulder as he pet Nines’s hand, “Nines, I’ll be fine,” he said it in a gentle, soft tone of voice that made the android not want to let him leave the vehicle.

Practically seconds away from punching through the driver’s window in nothing but pure frustration, Nines growled as he opened the car door and stepped outside before he changed his mind.

Gavin sighed as he opened his door next, “He’s my father, Nines,” he explained bluntly as he grabbed his schoolbag and other belongings he needed, “I can’t _not_ see him.”

“You don’t have to remind me, Gavin.” Nines slammed the car door and locked it, making sure to help Gavin carry his extra plastic bag of clothes and blankets as they made their way up the two, old stone steps that led to the house.

Gavin rang the bell, and Nines felt it buzz and ring so loudly in his head. He closed his eyes as he imagined the rest of the house as dark as it was on the outside. Behind them, only a few street lights were on, and the rest of the neighborhood seemed pretty quiet, even for a Friday night.

Impatiently, Gavin was about to ring again, but Nines held his hand down as he whispered: “Wait.”

Obeying, Gavin paused as he held his bags tightly and listened carefully.

Soon enough, the sounds of heavy footsteps approached from the other side of the door, and the hallway lights went on first. A single bulb hanging above Nines’ head turned on suddenly, and he stepped back when the lock of the front door was toyed with.

A shadowy figure loomed behind the door and screen, and Nines watched as the man pulled the door open with caution. It groaned as it gave way.

Gavin’s face lit up as soon as a man’s thick hand pushed open the screen door, “Dad!”

Nines was able to glare up into the eyes of Allen Reed, finally.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Allen Reed wasn’t anything like Nines originally surmised he would be.

He looked exactly like Gavin (rather, Gavin looked like him) in terms of facial shape, build, eyes, and brow. Hell, even his chin and cheekbones were sculpted in the exact same way Gavin’s was. Their body limbs were in proportion, although Gavin’s stature was obviously still teetering on the end of childhood, while Allen Reed was obviously a grown adult.

Though it was more than obvious they shared the same biological makeup, Allen Reed looked a lot different aesthetically. He had long, dark brown hair that was pulled back in a loose, messy ponytail, and he had a thick goatee that while majority of the hairs there seemed brown, Nines was able to see a few silvery hairs hidden in the bushy mass.

His clothes appeared to not have been washed for a few days at the very least; they smelled of tobacco, oil from food, and his own body sweat and odor. His shirt was a dark, ripped band shirt, with the white letters spelling out: _Slipknot_.

His jeans were also tattered and slightly ripped, and they were grey. He wore socks, but there were holes in them when he lifted his right leg to scratch the back of his left ankle with his toes. Although his socks were black, they had plenty of stains and other disgusting things on them that Nines had to look away from when he scanned the man.

It was obvious he had been smoking and drinking; he didn’t appear to be fully aware of his faculties. He squinted at them as if they were apparitions or ghosts he’d dreamt up. Nines had to wonder if he was even fit to look after Gavin tonight, but oddly, the alcohol in his blood wasn’t alarmingly high when he scanned him deeper. If anything, Allen Reed seemed more physically exhausted than inebriated.

He wiped his beady eyes with the back of his hand before his eyes widened when he gazed down at Gavin.

“Gavin?” His voice was rough, grating, and it irritated Nines. Yes, this was the same voice he’d heard on Abby’s phone. He’d hated hearing it then, and he definitely hated hearing it now. While Gavin’s voice still hadn’t fully developed into that of an adult male’s, Allen Reed’s voice was far too gruff and gravelly. It wasn’t a pleasant thing to listen to at all, and Nines cringed when Gavin stepped forward and smiled at his father.

“Happy Friday, dad…”

Allen Reed snorted, “You gonna fuckin’ just stand in the dark all night, or are ya comin’ in?”

Once again, Nines was reminded why he despised this man.

They said ‘first impressions are the last impressions’, and right now, Allen Reed wasn’t making the best one in front of Nines. He bore it all for Gavin’s sake; every curse word, every dirty glance, everything. If it hadn’t been for Gavin, Nines would’ve definitely gone back to the car and left without another word.

Allen Reed didn’t deserve any words.

They watched as he moved away from the screen door, letting it swing shut for a moment before he held the front door open widely and went back into the hall. His eyes were on them as they wiped their shoes on the old doormat and Nines helped gather Gavin’s items in his arms, letting Gavin pull the screen door back open.

If Nines thought Abby’s house was old, Allen Reed’s by far won that competition. The entire place reeked of old wood, but it wasn’t unpleasant, rotting wood; it was just wood. The interior of the house looked more like a log cabin, and Nines supposed it had been specifically designed that way.

Instead of a plaster ceiling, there was a rafter ceiling instead. A natural fireplace was in the living room, with natural wood that hadn’t been burning, thankfully. Majority of the decorations within the house were at least more than two decades old. Everything seemed so outdated, and Nines felt as if he was sent back to the late 90s. Still, he didn’t comment on anything as he helped Gavin hang his schoolbag on a small hook rack by the door provided.

He noticed that Gavin was still hanging tightly onto his sweater, and he had to wonder why, until the answer hit him right in the head: Allen Reed was supposed to help him get a tattoo; not Nines.

As Nines stared at Gavin while the teenager took off his Nike sneakers, a painful thought and realization occurred to him.

_I’ve taken away a memory he could’ve shared with his father…I took away an experience reserved for father and son, and I snatched it away when I got him a tattoo once promised to him by his father…_

He felt dizzy, and he stuck out a hand and let it slam against one of the walls in the tiny, cramped hallway.

_Am I really so obsessed with Gavin’s life that I was actually willing to take Allen’s place?! Why?!_

None of it made sense to him, but the fact that he’d been lingering in the halls for as long as he did made Allen Reed turn around. He scratched his goatee as he studied Nines carefully. It seemed as if he only then noticed Nines wasn’t a human, as his eyes circled around the LED light that was now yellow on his right temple.

He hummed as he placed a hand on Gavin’s back, stopping him before he could make his way down the hall. “Gavin,” he spoke calmly and deeply, still keeping his eyes on Nines, “get two glasses and bring me a beer from the fridge.”

Gavin hesitated as he stared back at Nines, “But dad-”

His father’s hand squeezed on his shoulder, “Get moving, and don’t argue.”

Gavin tossed one final withering look at Nines before he ran off into the kitchen to carry out his father’s bidding.

While Allen Reed didn’t seem as loud, obnoxious, and emotionally-driven as his ex-wife, there was still something about him that made Nines almost wish Abby were here now in his place. He never thought he’d admit this even to himself, but he much preferred Abby over Allen.

“So her new partner’s an android, huh?” Allen’s voice broke through his thoughts like the blaring horn of a train that was getting too close.

Nines didn’t answer; he was incapable of answering as his mind swam with crazy thoughts of jealousy, resentment, anger, betrayal, and confusion. He was a mess on the inside, and all he could do was stare at Allen Reed as he crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t too muscular, but he wasn’t as lanky as Gavin in the midst of puberty, either.

Outside, the wind blew a few fallen leaves against the windows, and Nines tried pushing the sounds of nature out of his mind as he just focused all his attention on Allen. They were at some weird standoff when Gavin called: “I got the beer, dad!”

His father snorted, hardly impressed. “I didn’t think Abby would buckle down and become desperate enough to date an android,” he shrugged, “but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures, right?”

Nines practically shook, “I have no opinion on that, but I can assure you, I’m not in a romantic relationship with your ex-wife.”

Why was he even explaining this to this man?! Not only was it none of his business, but he was merely feeding into the emotions this man likely wanted him to feed into for the purposes of gaining information about his ex-wife!

Allen Reed surprised Nines by turning around abruptly as he stalked off towards the kitchen, “I don’t really care.”

_Then why did you ask?!_

Nines followed him reluctantly into the kitchen, and he was met with the sight of an old, shaky wooden kitchen table, with Gavin sitting on one end, while his father pulled out a chair in the middle. There were two more seats-one across from Gavin, and the other across from where Allen was seated. Nines quickly sat in the seat across from Gavin. At least he felt some warmth and comfort anytime he looked at the teenager. He sadly couldn’t say the same for his father, however…

Allen reached for one of the glasses Gavin was playing with, making them dance and circle each other as he slid them across the smooth-yet-old-surface of the wooden kitchen table. He then opened the can of beer as he poured the glasses almost halfway full, and he slid one of them over to Gavin.

The boy looked down at the glass holding the alcohol, and then his eyes moved up to Nines, as if waiting for him to say something.

His father noticed this and laughed as he settled back in his chair, “What? Do you need permission from him or something?”

Gavin stammered while his face grew pink, “No…I just don’t want to drink it…”

Allen leaned into the table as he firmly gripped his glass in his hands. The beverage fizzed and bubbled as Nines stared down at it. As each bubble rose up, Nines felt his anger increasing, as well.

“Gavin,” his father began as he coughed once, “what did I tell you about bein’ a real man?”

Nines scowled at him. He was playing a dangerous game; teaching Gavin that he would only be accepted and regarded by society as a man if he smoked, drank, and did drugs. Of course, this was exactly where Gavin picked up all his bad habits from. And here Allen Reed was encouraging them more?

The teenager’s chin quivered as he shrugged, “I’ll drink it later, dad!”

“Drink it now.”

Nines couldn’t stand it anymore. He cut in, “He said he doesn’t want to drink it.”

The messy ponytail and goatee was all he saw as Allen Reed turned and stared at him with a cold, blank expression. Due to his tone of voice, the other man seemed to be slightly perturbed, and he sneered at Nines with white teeth that seemed far too menacing in the kitchen lights.

“Are you tellin’ me how to raise my own kid?” he growled the question at Nines, and Gavin shivered as he gripped the glass immediately.

Nines shook his head, “No, but he’s stated that he doesn’t want to consume al-”

“I’m fuckin’ drinkin’ it!!” Gavin’s outburst made them both turn to him, and he dipped his head back as he downed the beer in a few seconds. Nines closed his eyes and slammed a fist into an open palm beneath the table as a result.

Some of the alcohol spilled out of Gavin’s mouth and dribbled down onto his chin. His father snorted as he shook his head, “What? Do you have a hole in your mouth?”

Gavin set down the glass, and his father grabbed a tissue from a tissue box, “Wipe your face.”

As Gavin hurriedly did so, he avoided eye contact with Nines. The android understood why, choosing instead to stare at his hands that were now clenching his kneecaps tightly while his LED light turned red.

Allen fished into his jean pockets and withdrew a cigarette. He lit it and sighed as he blew smoke ahead into the unoccupied chair across from him.

“Gavin,” he hissed out so quietly that Nines nearly hadn’t heard him, “I want you to go upstairs and do whatever you want for a while…” his eyes then turned to Nines, “I need to have a few words with your android friend.”

Pausing for a second, Gavin stared at Nines, and his father cleared his throat. He’d deciphered the signal, and Gavin was on his feet and up the stairs in minutes.

Once a door upstairs closed loudly enough so they both heard it, Allen spread his legs apart slightly in his chair as he scratched at his beard. He turned his chair sideways a little so he could see Nines without craning his neck over to him. “So,” he stated plainly as he simply stared at the android with an unreadable expression.

Nines glared up at him, “What.”

Allen shrugged, “My girlfriend won’t be back for a while, so I figured we can get to know each other a little, seein’ as how you’ve been in Gavin’s life for…how long now?” he scratched the top of his head, and it made Nines feel uncomfortable. Androids didn’t itch, but this man certainly practically instilled that sensation in him the longer he watched him scratch away at himself.

Nines sighed, “I’ve almost been around Gavin for three months.”

“Hmm,” Allen Reed nodded as he flicked the ashes of his cigarette down onto the floor, clearly not caring about the mess it made.

“—I suppose Abby’s told you about what kind of a horrid monster I am, right?”

Nines was taken aback by this. Truth be told, Abby had indeed mentioned her estranged ex-husband, but she hadn’t exactly ‘bashed’ the guy either…at least, not according to his judgement and standards.

He tilted his head at Allen, “Not exactly…she’s rather busy with her own life.”

This somehow was funny to Allen Reed. For the first time since they’d entered the house, Nines saw the man laugh his heart out. He threw his head back and draped a hand over his stomach as he lost himself in rounds of chortles and chuckles that practically shook the kitchen walls.

When he was finished, he wiped his eyes with the back of a hand as he sighed, “That’s very funny,” he took a drag off the cigarette, “I was married to Abby for almost nine years, and I can definitely tell you that that woman’s got no life.”

Nines stared around the kitchen, and his eyes finally landed on a black, rectangular picture frame which bore an image of Allen Reed and a thin, African American woman. She had her lips pressed against his cheek while he smiled at the camera.

“Well at least she’s not chasing after other people,” Nines stated bluntly after he tore his eyes off the photograph, “she’s just trying to raise _your_ son.”

A finger was nearly pointed directly into his nose, “And what do you think I’m doin’ here? Huh?”

Allen Reed gestured to his own clothes with a wave of a hand, “I didn’t always want to dress like a bum, you know,” his cigarette burned slowly, and Nines watched the smoke dance and twist upwards into the air like a snake.

“—I actually had a decent career, and I was makin’ pretty damn good money until she threw me out based on a stupid assumption of hers!” He slammed his hands on the table, and the ashes of his cigarette fell down onto the table.

A loose hair strand fell into his eyes, and he pushed it back as Nines sneered at him as if he were dirt and scum itself.

“I gave her the fuckin’ house, I gave her the furniture; I gave her everything, but I did it for Gavin.”

Silence met his ears, so he continued.

“I used to work as a stock broker until my marriage went to the toilet,” he hadn’t touched his cigarette in a while now, and Nines noticed that he was feeling slightly agitated as he spoke on.

“—sure, I never made it to Wall Street or anythin’ fancy, but we were happy! But now…” he gestured at himself again, “now I work in a fuckin’ paint factory, mixin’ paint and bottling them up in cans to be shipped off all over America and Canada.”

Nines did in fact notice that the stains on Allen Reed’s clothing hadn’t all been from food; they were oil from paint.

“Anyway, none of that mattered to me, because I didn’t want Gavin to see me and his mom fightin’ all the time.”

So the divorce was for the best. They’d cleared that up, but there was still the issue of Allen Reed being so far removed from his son’s life that troubled Nines deeply. How was he going to make this broken man understand that Gavin’s future was possibly at risk?

Taking the ‘calm’ route, Nines tried being reasonable and logical as he unfolded his hands from his lap, “Do you care about Gavin’s future?”

Allen Reed glared at him, the cigarette practically more than halfway burnt through. He held it tightly between his index and middle finger, while his ring finger curved downward into his palm.

“I love my son.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Nines retorted back as he frowned into Allen Reed’s grey-blue eyes.

The man then rolled them, breaking the eye contact as he grabbed onto the edge of the table, “Look,” he held up a hand, “I’m all for my fair share of weird shit…”

Nines tilted his head at him, but he didn’t interrupt.

“…and while I think it’s stupid that I’m receiving a lecture in morals and ethics from a fucking android, I’ll let it go for now…”

His cigarette was almost finished, now.

“—but I’ll tell you something, buddy,” he sat up straight in his chair as he turned his hand over to rest on the table, and he pointed the cigarette at Nines as if it were a gun, “this is the United States of America…no one has the right to tell anyone else what to do, and I sure as shit won’t break that law.”

But it was so much more than that, and it pained Nines that he didn’t understand. Why couldn’t this man be reasonable!?

Allen Reed waved the cigarette around in the air, “If there’s ever an emergency, I’m the first one there for Gavin, and even Abby can’t fuckin’ deny that shit!”

Ashes fell close to Nines’ face, and he leaned back and away from it as he simply glared in silence.

Allen’s eyes widened as he lowered the volume of his voice. Still, his words were serious, but they held a cold tone to them as well. “Gavin’s almost sixteen, and as far as I’m concerned, that makes him legally an adult,” he licked his lower lip before he continued, “he’s gettin’ to be old enough to make his own decisions, and I won’t breathe down his neck if he makes the wrong choice…that’s how men are made in this world.”

The number of insults that danced on the tip of Nines’ tongue were unsurpassed. He really wished he could let loose on this pathetic excuse for a father, but he was held back by only one thing:

Biological connection.

No matter how Nines looked at it, and no matter how much he wanted to deny it, Allen Reed was Gavin’s father. That was never going to change, and Nines knew he had no business butting in this relationship. Yet again, he was like a dog caught in the rain; waiting behind a glass door until someone decided to open the door and welcome him inside again.

The last thing he wanted to do was start beating Gavin’s father while the teenager was still in the house, himself. Even beyond that, there was no way he could place himself between a father and son.

Oh how he hated being a deviant, but each of these incidents were affecting him in more ways than one. Tonight, Nines really felt his software instability increasing even beyond the fact that he was a deviant, and he never felt worse about it happening. Usually, it had been a welcome thing, but tonight? It was his own personal demon sent out to haunt him.

The cigarette was a little stub now, and Allen Reed extinguished it onto the surface of the table as he stood up and held out a hand for Nines to shake.

“Never did get your name,” he smirked, and Nines looked down to see yellowed fingernails.

He avoided the man’s hand, but rose up as he whispered: “Nines.”

Allen nodded as he dropped his hand down at his side, “Nines…” he smirked again, “I like it.”

Nines didn’t care, but he held himself back from commenting. He watched as Allen Reed walked out of the kitchen and over towards the front door. He pushed it open with a hand, while the other one dug inside his jean pockets snugly.

He puffed out his chest as he grinned, “Well Nines, I think it’s about time you head home to Abby…I think she’s missing you.”

He said nothing as he exited the house, trying not to slam the car door behind himself as he turned the engine on and backed out of the driveway. As he turned to head out the street, he looked up into a window that was open, and light was pouring out of it.

Nines squinted, but he was able to zoom his vision in on Gavin.

The teenager gave him a weary, troubled look, but then waved ‘goodbye’.

Nines waved back, but the niggling feeling in the pit of his stomach never went away as he drove all the way back to 282 Park Row Avenue with hatred and anger in his mind and burning behind his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allen Reed is a very, VERY interesting man. I can't say I either agree or disagree with his views, but he's definitely 'flawed' more than a father-figure should be!!!!  
> Oh, the things pain does to a person.


	23. Two Sides of a Coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> VERY powerful and emotional chapter.  
> Honestly, I really feel for Gavin the most in this, but Abby's...yeah...😰😥😥

True to her word, Abby hadn’t returned home for the entire weekend. Nines was left all alone, and the only thing he did while keeping up with the household chores and duties was think and reflect. He reflected more than he ever had in his entire creation that weekend alone.

The meeting with Allen Reed had affected him a lot more than he thought it would, but he supposed that was only due to the fact that he’d grown quite close to Gavin and become his lover.

Being a part of Gavin’s life meant that he was going to have to learn a lot more about Gavin’s life, his past, and especially his father. As much as Nines didn’t like engaging Allen Reed, he knew he would have no choice as long as he was a part of Gavin’s life. These thoughts led to another question he had to go over carefully and reasonably.

Once again, Nines had to really ask himself what he was doing with Gavin.

Yes, they were having a sexual-romantic relationship. That much was very obvious to him, and it wasn’t something he was running away from as he headed into the land of denial and delusion. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be with Gavin; he wanted it more than anything else. But Nines had to wonder ‘why’ and for how long he wanted to keep this up with Gavin. It was all getting difficult to decipher and understand now that Allen Reed had spoken.

Perhaps his father didn’t care what he did, and maybe even his mother didn’t as well, but Nines _did_ care about _everything_ Gavin did. His concern for the future outweighed his sexual connection and feelings for Gavin, and that was a sign to him that he desired for a far deeper connection with Gavin. Perhaps they were enjoying themselves now, but a few years down the road was where his mind was at, and a few moments of pleasure weren’t worth the risk of putting the boy’s future in jeopardy.

Once more, Nines had to hold back on his feelings for Gavin, at least until the boy had finished high school. He was going to have to arrange some time to chat very seriously about this with Gavin when the teenager returned home.

They had to wait, regardless of how much they wanted each other. Nines was really going to make an effort now never to seek Gavin out-sexually or otherwise-and he knew he had to encourage the teen to do the same thing. They’d already pushed the boundaries and crossed the lines numerous times, but this time, it had to be different.

A step-by-step ‘priority’ list had to be composed, just so the teenager could end up graduating with his class. That was at least what Nines could offer him, and he knew that would be worth more than sexual gratification.

Nines vowed that until the end of June, they were only going to work together to prepare for Gavin’s final exams, any other final projects he had in school, and that was it.

No more, no less.

However, there was something Nines had to do, regardless of Gavin being in school currently or not: he had to be honest with the teenager about his want of a future with Gavin at his side as a romantic partner.

Nines had to make it clear that he wasn’t just trying to use the boy for sexual gratification, sexual exploration, or anything else that was degrading or horrifying. He actually envisioned a bright future with Gavin, and he knew he owed it to the teenager to be honest with him.

Perhaps Gavin wasn’t going to like what he had to say and confess, but he needed to hear it. Life was too short for regret and moments like this wasted.

Still, there was the worry in the back of his mind that he would possibly face some kind of a rejection and possibly be judged in the worst way by Gavin after coming clean about all his feelings and desires. There was also the fear that would come along with the fact that Nines had to eventually come clean and be upfront with both Abby and Allen Reed regarding his pursuit of a long-term relationship with their son…

He didn’t know which of these troubled and worried him the most, but honesty had always been his best friend, and it wasn’t something he was going to hide more than he already had lately.

If he was going to punish and ‘damn’ himself for the wrongs he’d committed, he had to start by at least understanding that the first moment he’d lied on Gavin’s behalf to Abby was the biggest ‘sin’ he’d committed. He had to fix these…he somehow had to!

He’d been lost in more work throughout the weekend; cleaning out the fridge, freezer, dusting everything in the house, cleaning the glass of even the skylight on the second floor in the main hallway. He’d finished the laundry, ironing, vacuuming, and mopping. Soon, there was nothing else left to clean, and he was acting like an obsessed, paranoid individual who was ‘looking’ for something to distract himself with to the point where he was even losing himself in strange, minor tasks just for the sake of keeping his mind occupied.

Scrubbing away at door and drawer handles hadn’t ever been something Nines could picture himself doing, but he was doing it anyway. He scrubbed like he was on his last nerve, his fingers and wrists flying in a blurred motion that was beyond human speed from afar. He wanted to work himself to the bone, and he had been doing that when Abby’s footsteps and voice called out to him from a distance, almost.

It seemed like a foghorn echoing in the night during a horrible, violent storm. It reached out to him, caressing his ears and audio receptors like the steady rhythm of waves hitting the sand and gravel on a shoreline.

Nines looked up from his cleaning, his black t-shirt soaked from washing down the bathtubs and standing showers, and his bangs caught in his eyes. Both sides of his head had bangs loosely falling into his eyes, giving him the appearance of a little devil. Abby smirked and giggled at his hair, reaching forward and leaning against him with her pinky finger played with one of his dark brown strands.

It had been that point of physical contact she bestowed upon him that helped him snap out of his daydreaming and cleaning.

“Nines!” she giggled as she playfully gave his shoulder a shove, “I told you already that you don’t need to go out of your way and do these!!”

He almost growled roughly while she gaped around the spotlessly clean main floor of the house, “Wow!” she beamed down at him in appreciation after she’d inspected everything he’d thoroughly cleaned. “I can’t stress enough how lovely it is to come home to a clean house, Nines!”

Caring about her words of praise wasn’t even an option to consider at a mild standpoint. He simply tolerated her yammering, allowing her to head inside the kitchen and make a mess of things in an instant while she threw her new clothes she’d recently purchased on a chair. Price-tags hung loosely over the edge of her shopping bag, but Nines wasn’t interested in what she’d been up to all weekend.

She’d really gone on a shopping spree, it seemed. Nines did in fact notice that her hair had recently even been highlighted, though not cut too much. Only a few inches were taken from the bottom for the purposes of allowing newer, healthier hair to grow in, and her highlights were a pleasant golden blonde that glowed and stood out against the rest of her dark brown locks.

Abby Reed seemed more than ecstatic to show off her new look, and she flipped her long, thick hair back over her shoulder as she winked over at Nines playfully and seductively, “What do you think, Nines?” she twirled around, her long, thigh-high black boots clicking on the tiled floors, “pretty neat, huh?”

He rolled his eyes. He personally had no opinion on her look or style at all. It was probably better to play along for now. “I think it’s wonderful, Abby,” he answered as he forced a smile on his face.

His response was a delightful, excited giggle, followed by a squeal as she opened the fridge door and pulled out a cold water bottle for herself. Nines heard her swallow it down, and he gazed down at his own reflection peering back up at him from within the shiny white tiles below.

_If only I had the courage to be honest with you, Abby…_

“Woo!” she set the bottle down on the kitchen counter as she clicked out of the large kitchen and made her way down the main floor hallway.

“Tell me about your weekend, Nines!” she called back to him over her shoulder, “don’t be shy!!”

He swallowed as he called back: “I’ll be right there in a minute, Abby!”

“Well before Gavin shows up!!” she laughed, “This is the only time we’ll get to ourselves again before he comes back home!”

He sighed as he whispered only to himself: “So be it.”

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Abby gaped at him before she caught her lower jaw in a cupped hand. “You s-spoke with Allen?”

This had been the fourth time she’d asked him the same damn question. His answer was still the same, for the fourth time in a row.

“Yes.”

She exhaled as if in pain as her brows contorted and she shook her head, “I asked you t-to drop Gavin off at his dad’s; not to sit d-down and act l-like you’re his best friend!!”

Nines folded his hands in his lap as he sat beside her on her futon within her office. Abby held her freshly-manicured hands and fingernails together, looping and intertwining them as she shook and closed her eyes. Perhaps she was also counting to three as Nines often would in situations that were a little more than unbearable.

It was as if she was unable to believe that her ex-husband had spoken with Nines at all, and she laughed as she opened her eyes and waved a hand in front of herself as if she were swatting an annoying housefly away.

“No!! No!” she shook her head and scoffed, “I can’t see that happening, I’m sorry.”

He sighed, “But it _did_ happen, Abby…”

“Why did you talk to him?!” her hair bounced heavily as she whipped her head around to frown at him, “who told you to do that?!”

Shifting away from her slightly, Nines regarded her with a blank expression, “What was I supposed to do then, Abby?” He really was even asking himself the question as his blank expression turned into one of anger and confusion.

Why did she expect so much from him?! He’d been friendly with her, and civilized with her ex-husband, even though he didn’t particularly like the man, or understand him. What more could anyone have possibly wanted??

“What was I supposed to do, Abby? Start a brawl in the middle of his house and home right in front of his own son?”

Her face was beyond red as she exploded in a white-hot rage, “ _MY_ SON!! THAT’S _MY_ SON YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT; _NOT_ HIS!!”

He couldn’t help what happened next. Nines had held his composure for long enough, but he knew now he’d reached his tipping point. This woman sure knew how to push, and push, and push. She’d done it to Allen, and now she was doing the exact same thing to him. It was enough.

Gripping the edge of the futon, he stared menacingly and threateningly into her eyes, “You haven’t been entirely honest with me, Abby!”

Before she could interrupt him, he pressed out in a hurry, “There’s always two sides to a coin, and while I may not like Allen Reed nearly enough to understand him, I hardly think bashing his character and assassinating his personality in front of your own son is hardly befitting the actions of a good, decent parent!!”

He’d been slapped for that, hard. Abby’s hand flew through the air, cutting directly to the side as her open palm made contact with his left cheek. The brutal sound of the slap resonated across the tiny office, and Nines turned his head to the side as he closed his eyes and felt his nostrils flaring in anger.

Of course, he couldn’t deny her the right to react the way she had. Their emotions had both risen to the top, and the proverbial ‘hair’ had already fallen loose. Too much had been said, and not enough had been done. Now everything was out in the open…well, almost everything…

He knew she was crying as her breathed hitched in her throat, and the futon shook beneath him. She shivered as she cried out in a whisper, “You bastard!”

Maybe he was one, maybe he wasn’t. That was far beyond the point, however, and he pressed a hand against his cheek as he glared at her.

She whimpered as her eyelids quivered and squinted, “How could you s-say that to me?!”

He fired back, “How could you use your son for the purposes of spying on your own husband?!”

Abby was stunned. For several minutes, all she was able to do was gape at Nines while shaking and trembling. If she shook any harder than she already was while turning beet red, Nines wouldn’t be surprised if she exploded from rage.

Eventually, she was able to muster up enough stamina and will to speak. “You- _how_?!”

A nod came from him, “Gavin told me all about it on the drive to Allen’s, you don’t need to deny it or hide it, Abby!”

She held up a shaky, thin finger at him, “That’s none of your freaking business, Nines!”

“It _is_ if it’s affecting Gavin!”

“How dare you-”

The android held a hand against his chest as he raised an eyebrow at her, “How dare I? No, how dare _you_ , Abby!”

Tears fell from her eyes as she grabbed a pillow and backed away to one corner of the futon as she wheezed and hiccupped violently, “Wh-why are you-you! Wh-what d-did Allen say to you?!”

“Oh just the usual,” Nines hissed out, preparing the ‘list’, “he told me that he was a dedicated, devoted husband right up until your own fears and insecurities took over and made you throw him out of the house, and he also told me that regardless of whatever you two have between each other, he still loves Gavin!”

“THE FUCK HE DOES!!” She threw back her head and screamed as hot tears spilled from the corners of her tightly clenched eyes, dripping down like little diamonds as they shined in the sunlight streaming in through the windows.

Nines may not have been a deviant for long, or he may as well have not been one at all. That hardly mattered as he stared at Abby Reed while she curled into a little ball and sobbed into the palm of her hand. In instances like this, he knew he should have comforted her, consoled her, or offered to help her, but he wanted her to understand what she was doing to Gavin, and the damages her actions and choices were not only causing him, but to her own self as well.

“I’ll be damned if I let this family die more than it already has…,” he whispered as she held her head in her hands and slowly and gently rocked herself back and forth on the futon.

“…I care about both you _and_ Gavin,” he sighed, “but you didn’t have to take his father away and make him out to be some monster, Abby.”

She beat her head with her fists gently, “I c-can’t trust men!” she shook her head and rocked herself harder and faster, “I’ve a-always had t-trust issues, it’s n-not my f-fault!!”

He reached out a hand slowly and carefully, as if she were a wild animal that would strike him or claw his eyes out if he made the wrong move, “Abby, you can lie to Allen, you can lie to Clarissa or her boyfriend Logan, and you can even lie to me,” he explained gently as his hand finally touched her shoulder softly, testing out what her reaction to his touches would be.

She looked up at him and then winced, realizing he was already trying to make eye contact.

“You can lie to whomever you want, it makes no difference,” his hands rubbed her back tenderly, and for a moment, she seemed to lean into his touches as she sobbed. She’d toned it down however, trying to listen to him in between crying.

“—but you shouldn’t lie to yourself or to Gavin,” he finalized, “that is where majority of the damage and heartbreak comes from.”

She wiped her eyes hurriedly, as if not wanting him to see her cry anymore, even though they’d already passed that moment. “I used to be so mad at Allen that I tried making sure Gavin didn’t even do or say one thing that would remind me of his father!”

He handed her a tissue from the top of her filing cabinet, and she practically snatched it out of his fingers wildly as she turned away from him and wiped her eyes with it.

“I didn’t mean to m-make Gavin a bargaining chip between Allen and I; it just happened because we were s-so tired of each other…”

Nines now understood why Gavin had told him that sometimes, when a couple separated, it was for the greater good. As much as he wanted to have a hope that maybe Abby and Allen would get back together and become a family again, he realized that was a foolish hope, and just wishful thinking on his behalf. It was far better this way, but he didn’t want Gavin suffering, doubting himself, or losing his confidence in love and relationships because of his parents.

Gavin deserved a chance at true love, and whether he wanted Nines by his side for the rest of his life or not, he had to understand that he was capable of loving and being loved fully.

He knew he would never leave Gavin as a romantic, dedicated partner, but there was no telling how Gavin felt in terms of long-term relationships, especially when he’d seen one of the most important ones in his life before his eyes crumble down and fall apart.

He tried remaining positive as he focused on helping the sobbing, sniffling woman sated before him. This was something he could do for now, instead of worrying about the future where he had no power or control on things.

“Abby,” at the sound of his gentle tone of voice, she gazed up at him through wet, sticky eyelashes that clumped together because of her wet mascara.

“—it’s not your fault, and you shouldn’t be blaming yourself,” he saw her sigh as she shook her head and tugged on an earlobe while squeezing her wet napkin in a free hand.

“You just saying these things to be nice and make me feel good, now.”

He really wasn’t; he was trying to be honest with her, and really trying to save this family. Most of the hopes rested on Abby Reed, though Nines didn’t want to tell her that yet in a fear of pressuring and pushing her too soon. However, if there was a change to be made in the Reed family, it had to start with the maternal figure.

Nines held his head up high while he threw Abby a warm-but firm and serious-smile, “I’m not doing that to you, Abby, I promise.”

She wrapped her hands around her knees and gave a half-shrug, “It’s okay if you are,” she threw her head back and smiled into the sunlight the windows brought in, “after all, who wouldn’t want to help a broken, damaged woman down on her luck and in love with a man she’ll never have?”

That wasn’t entirely how he wanted her to decipher his actions and motives, and he felt a little hurt that she’d arrived at that conclusion. He knew humans were more flawed and fragile than androids were, but he’d never once seen Abby as a woman who needed to be repaired because she was ‘broken’ or ‘damaged’.

He was very well aware of her passionate, ardent feelings and pursuit of him, but it would be tricky to tell her that it wasn’t a matter of wanting what she couldn’t have; it was a matter of how well she coped with reality instead of pushing the blame on others or her own inadequacies.

Nines didn’t return Abby’s feelings, though not because she didn’t deserve him or couldn’t have him; he didn’t return her feelings because he really loved and wanted to cherish Gavin after building a strong bond with him. That had little to do with Abby, in reality, but he wasn’t sure he could find the words to explain this to her, right now.

Offering her a look of sincerity coupled with a firm-yet-admonishing tone of voice, he said, “I’ve never thought of you in that way, Abby…you’re a lot stronger than you may think you are.”

Her green eyes that held a lot of pain in their depths met his understanding, deep blue ones. Nines felt empathy ebb away out of him, and like a sponge eager for the first dip in water, Abby soaked it up as she emitted a small sigh.

Her eyes were still beyond tear-stained, pink, and her nose was even runny. And yet, she still somehow managed to give him a smile.

“Thank you for never judging me, Nines,” she simply said when the silence had gone on for too long, and he gave her an incredulous look.

“It’s not my job to judge you, Abby,” he stated factually, “I just want the best for Gavin.”

The front door suddenly opened, alerting them to Gavin’s presence.

What timing. How ideal, truly.

“ _And_ me—” Abby added as she leaned against Nines’s shoulder, her hair rubbing against Nines’s shirt sleeve and turning static as she rubbed her head against him lazily.

“—you also care about me and want the best for me too, Nines…”

Thundering footsteps made their way up the stairs, and then a second later, Abby’s office door banged open. Nines swallowed while Abby gasped in fright, pressing a hand down over her chest as Gavin stood in the doorway to her office.

Gavin’s cheeks were slightly pink, but Nines assumed that had been due to the way he’d practically flew in the house and up the steps, as if someone had been chasing him. He was wearing loose, red summer shorts, white socks, and a white basketball shirt that was resting beneath a dark brown hoodie as he glared at his mother for sitting too close to Nines.

Abby sighed, “Gavin, what did I tell you about entering my office and opening the door without my permission?”

The teenager ignored her, choosing instead to frown at Nines, and then back over at his own mother, “I’m not interrupting somethin’, am I?”

His mother rolled her eyes, “Just a conversation between adults, Gavin.” She was swinging her legs above the carpet about half an inch, and Nines stood slowly while Gavin looked down at the floor almost remorsefully.

Why had he assumed the worst was going on?!

Nines could tell he was livid; his ears were pink, and his neck seemed constricted-the veins almost prominent and sticking out beneath his skin, almost as if he wanted to yell out…

The adolescent seemed to hold great composure over himself, still, and he merely glared down at the floor as Nines tilted his head down at him. He didn’t understand why Gavin seemed so angry with him…hadn’t they worked around their trust issues?!

Breathing heavily, Gavin looked up at Nines with heated death glares shining out of his eyes, “I’m reviewing for final exams, now—” he exclaimed calmly, and it impressed the android that the boy hadn’t flow into a full fit of rage.

“—I’ll need your help, Nines.” He finished with a glance at his mother, who only smiled at him as she sniffled.

Gavin squinted at her suddenly, “Mom?” He took a cautious step into the office, “…Have you been crying?”

Abby merely waved a hand at him as she stood up and turned away from him. “Oh don’t be silly, Gavin,” she rummaged through her filing cabinets and turned on her laptop resting on the small desk by a wall, “I was just cutting up some onions for soup tonight.”

Gavin rolled his eyes, “Right…” he then glared at Nines again, “help, please?”

The android stared at Abby for a moment, but before she could add anything, the doorbell rang.

She pointed out the office, “My client…”

Almost simultaneously, Gavin and Nines hissed out: “We know.”

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Much of their study sessions carried out on a regular, daily basis, and time eventually flew by. Nines and Gavin had been so wrapped up in exam prep and course project completion that they didn’t notice that April eventually died away, and the month of May had soon arrived.

With it, summer really was around the corner, and the weather had grown intolerably hot in the last few days. It was the second week of May when Gavin had to really hide himself in his room, where he had the ability and privacy at his disposal to wear undershirts or sometimes no shirt, his tattoo constantly glaring back at Nines.

They’d been doing well to hide the mark for the most part; Gavin focusing on his studies, while Nines was almost ‘on the lookout’ and would warn the teenager to always cover himself somehow whenever they heard Abby approaching the bedroom.

Gavin would hurriedly either drape a sheet around himself and pretend to have fallen asleep while Nines ‘cleaned’ his room, or he would run into his closet and throw on the first shirt he could find while Nines stood in the doorway and engaged Abby in a conversation to distract her and buy Gavin enough time.

It wasn’t a ‘plan’ as far as one went, but it was the only thing they could work with.

Abby didn’t seem too suspicious at first, but Nines could tell she was always ‘bothered’ by Gavin ‘overdressing’ given the hot, summer weather.

They’d come up with a fib that Nines had to over-explain, stating that because of Gavin over-exerting himself and focusing really hard on his exam preparation, his immune system had conjured and conserved all the energy possible that was needed to fuel his body and brain to study, and now that they’d slowed down on the studies, Gavin’s immune system gave out, and he’d gotten a slight cold.

Abby bought it, and she only ventured up towards Gavin’s bedroom long enough to knock on the door and ask Nines to go easy on Gavin, but to also give him a bowl of chicken-noodle soup she’d prepared for him…

This continued much in the same way until the end of the second week of May, and they had a few hours to themselves that Friday late afternoon before Gavin was off to see his father again.

Staying downstairs in the living room while Abby conducted her final therapy session for the afternoon, Nines was seated beside Gavin on the couch, and they were both gazing over Gavin’s English essay with steadfast concentration and focus.

The teenager had gotten impatient when Nines was barely halfway through the essay, and he began to fidget as he slid himself down and off the couch and onto the floor. He rested his arms and elbows on the coffee table while he waited for Nines to finish proofreading his essay.

“Please, by all means, take another century while you’re at it,” the teenager huffed with indignation evident in his voice.

Nines looked up at him from over the top of the page in Gavin’s notebook that had the first draft of the essay handwritten out.

“Something on your mind, Gavin?”

A hand slammed down on the glass coffee table, making it ring, “God damn it, Nines!” He looked ready to explode any minute, “Do you feel _nothing_ for me?!?”

For once, the android really was baffled and stymied.

Gavin thought he didn’t feel anything for him or care about him? How? Why? Where were these coming from?? All because they’d taken at least three-and-a-half weeks of serious studying and zero fooling around?

Nines tilted his head down at the vitriolic teen, trying to play it cool, “Don’t be silly, Gavin,” he placed the essay down on his lap, “you know I care for you so much.”

Gavin rolled his eyes, “You have a funny way of showing it.”

Ah.

So he was indeed talking about the physical aspects of their relationship, just as Nines originally suspected.

He resisted the urge to crumple up the paper as he held onto the notebook tightly. “I told you that we should’ve waited for you to turn sixteen, Gavin…”

A pained sigh came from Gavin, “Now we’re stuck on this topic again?”

The android gently placed his essay on the table, and he lowered himself down on the floor right across from Gavin on the other end of the coffee table. He’d even paid close attention to rearrange their sitting positions, and it obviously annoyed the teenager.

Gavin shook his head at Nines while he bit his lower lip, “Treatin’ me like I’m a disease!”

Nines hissed, “Stay on topic, Gavin.”

“You’re repeatin’ the same old crap; not me!”

“We seem to have glossed over it, that’s why I’m talking about it now,” Nines explained rationally, while Gavin blew out a long breath of hot air.

The teenager folded his hands in his lap as he stretched out his legs and just stared at Nines in dead silence until it felt uncomfortable for the android. He wondered if Gavin was going to say anything to him or not, so he looked down at the boy’s essay, and then back up at Gavin’s eyes.

Silence still stretched on, so Nines took this as an opportunity to speak.

“Look, Gavin,” he sighed as he propped a hand up against his temple, covering his LED light that was turning red gradually.

“—sometimes life just doesn’t go the way we want it to go, and things aren’t the way we want them to be,” he held his head down and smiled when he saw his reflection in the glass offering him a conflicted, pain looked in return.

Continuing, he breathed out gently, “But we have to try and cope anyway we can, just to keep moving on and—”

“I love you, Nines.”

He’d never heard the teenager confess this, and even though a huge part of Nines wasn’t doubtful that Gavin did in fact love him, actually hearing those three words coming from the adolescent were so vastly different than what he’d expected. He’d imagined the day that he’d personally confess to Gavin first when Gavin was of age, but this? This was so out of place and didn’t go according to his plans at all…

It was unpredictable, it was a shock, and it was lovely.

There was nothing more beautiful in the world than the natural feelings of another human being. Nothing was rushed, nothing was falsified, nothing was put on a ‘show’ or a display; Gavin had just admitted how he truly felt. That was it.

The best surprises in life were ones like this, and Nines couldn’t stay angry at Gavin. His thirium pump was behaving erratically, but he held onto his feelings before he got lost in Gavin’s eyes, scent, and beauty.

He had to keep himself together and well composed, especially when he heard Abby’s client packing their belongings upstairs, which signaled to Nines that this conversation had to end, soon. Judging by the amount of time it took to exit the office, descend the steps, walk through the main hallway, and then unlock and open the door, Nines estimated he had well over a minute and twenty-five seconds to speak to Gavin freely.

There were so many things Nines wanted to say to Gavin. He’d wanted to admit that he loved Gavin more than anyone or anything else, and he didn’t want to ever be parted from his side ever again. He wanted to confess and relay his plan of getting an apartment or a home with Gavin when the boy was of age, and if it didn’t hurt Abby, they had to let her know about their relationship. He’d wanted to tell Gavin that he was going to do right by him, respect his parents, and seek their approval…hell, maybe they could even get engaged at some point…

But it seemed that matters of the heart and matters of the mind weren’t exactly best friends or even neighbors living on the same street.

Nines had turned into a statue, and all he could hear were the words Gavin had previously said to him. They echoed in his skull over and over, and the more he repeated them to himself, the more he felt like imploding.

To make it all worse, the teenager repeated them out loud once more, as if fearing that Nines hadn’t heard him the first time.

Gavin looked down at the essay on the table, chewing his lower lip as his brows furrowed as if he were in pain or severe discomfort. “I love you…” He still meant it and sounded confident, but he’d lowered his voice on the last word when the office door opened, and feet made their way to the staircase.

Nines only offered him a half-smirk. There was no way he could get lost in the frantic, frenzied feelings and emotions Gavin was giving him. Doing that would not only encourage madness and insanity, but it would also damage the boy.

They had to wait…they had to…

“You think that makes everything easier, then?” Nines asked in a gentle tone, though his facial expression had gone firm and serious.

He kept reminding himself that although this was going to no doubt hurt Gavin, he _had_ to hear it for his own good.

Odd how hurting someone’s feelings seemed more acceptable if one claimed it was done so for the sake of altruism…

Gavin quirked a brow, and Nines wanted to commit suicide right there. Why couldn’t he just admit to Gavin that he was beyond cow-jump-over-the-moon-crazy-in-love with him?! All he did was bring up another half-smirk as he shook his head begrudgingly at the teenager, as if this was all his fault and only his doing.

“You think that everything can just go back to being normal now, is that it?”

Gavin’s eyes turned slightly dewy as he looked down at the table. There was a high chance that he’d wanted and expected Nines to admit that he loved him, also, and when Nines hadn’t, it seemed as if the boy was heartbroken…

He hated that he had to be cold and treat Gavin like this, but he knew they were _both_ at fault and incapable of keeping away from each other. He was doing this for their own good, or so he tried convincing himself. Still, it didn’t help seeing Gavin almost dying of a heart break right before his very eyes.

Nines turned away from the sight just in time to see a middle-aged man exiting through the front door of the house, only stopping to briefly wave ‘goodbye’ at Abby. She smiled and closed the door, turning to face the open-concept living room as she placed her hands on her hips.

She studied the two males on the floor by the coffee table, and she stared at Gavin’s paper. Taking a step forward, she forced a small smile on her face that wasn’t able to cover up how exhausted she was.

“All done with homework, then?” She didn’t wait for them to answer; she glared at Gavin’s sweater suddenly, and even Nines was taken aback by her sudden change in mood.

Her eyes turned dark as she growled at Gavin, “Why’re you _still_ wearing that dirty thing, Gavin?!?”

It appeared as if Gavin hadn’t heard her. He simply sat there on the floor, eyes turned glassy as he sniffled.

His mother stomped her foot on the carpet, “Gavin Reed, I’m talking to you!”

Nines grabbed the essay as he growled out Gavin’s name, but even that wasn’t enough to make the teenager say or do anything as far as a response went.

A second ticked by before Abby nodded as she moved closer to them, “Fine then,” she huffed as she reached out a hand, “if you’re not going to wash that damn thing, I’m going to put it in the washing machine myself!”

Had he not been so wrapped up in what he ‘could’ have said and done when Gavin admitted his true feelings to him, he would’ve been able to predict what was going to happen well before it did. Unfortunately, his mind was in the swamps of confusion and madness, and Nines failed to react quickly. All he knew was that Abby’s hand was hovering over Gavin’s shoulders, and in a flash, she yanked his sweater upwards and off his shoulders.

Even the teenager had been caught off-guard, and as he turned around to stand up, Abby took advantage of this position, and she yanked and rolled his sweater sleeves down his hands and off his upper body. In a swipe, Gavin’s pink skin was revealed, right down to his tattoo staring openly at everyone.

Abby gripped the sweater in both hands, and she did a double-take when her eyes captured and took in the sight of the leafy-green plant resting on her son’s left arm. It was as if she’d been put under a spell; frozen at first, and then, her eyes slowly grew wide.

The final thing Nines remembered was how she’d thrown her head back and screamed as if she was being murdered while she flung the sweater down to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God damn it, Nines 😑😑😑😑👌  
> Cliffhanger because I'm a high-tech Grade A asshole.


	24. Full Circle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: HEART WRENCHING SHIT! SERIOUSLY, WHY I DO DIS?*  
> 😰😰😰😥😥

“WHAT IS _THIS_?!?”

Silence flew around the room, but it didn’t seem to calm Abby Reed down in the least bit as she held her hands to her cheeks and stared at the tattoo on Gavin’s skin with blown-out eyes. She looked as if she’d been electrocuted and zapped on the spot; her hair was frizzy and messy, her pupils seemed dilated, as well the fact that she was breathing heavily.

She shook and swayed, then, and she extended one hand near Gavin’s arm. “Gavin! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!” The volume of her voice increased, even though she’d struggled and fought hard to initially remain calm.

It had no effect on Gavin, however, and he merely stood by the coffee table and looked down at his feet while Nines got to his feet slowly behind him.

“GAVIN REED!!” His mother screeched, but it didn’t make the teenager so much as even flinch. He kept his eyes down on the carpet as Nines shifted himself around the table until he was standing right before Abby. The irate female hardly even glanced at him, but he gently held out a hand in front of her, as if trying to calm her down, which didn’t seem feasible now.

“Abby, I-”

She ignored him as she glared on at her son, “DID YOUR FATHER GET YOU THIS…THIS ABOMINATION!!!??? LOOK AT YOUR SKIN, GAVIN!!!” The floors and furniture shook as she screamed on.

Surprisingly, Gavin still didn’t move or make any attempt at saying something or denying anything. He just stood there like a statue, and it began disturbing Nines greatly. Where had the argumentative, angry teenager gone? Why was this Gavin Reed so silent and withdrawn?!

He wanted to reach over and shake the boy, but he knew that would only grant him an early death sentence from the irate, explosive Abby Reed. Her face burned bright red, and she was panting as if she’d exerted herself beyond her physical abilities.

She must’ve really been holding back from tearing everyone apart and imploding, Nines thought.

“ANSWER ME, GAVIN!!” Abby continued yelling, “DID YOU GO BEHIND MY BACK AND ASK YOUR FATHER TO DO THIS FOR YOU?!”

The teenager gave a half-shrug. Nines knew exactly what he was doing and where he was at mentally; he was stuck between trying to protect his father, and his own lover. It was a position Nines never wanted to be in, but even he had been dragged and drawn into it, now. What was he supposed to do? Stand there and remain uninvolved and quiet while Abby more than likely took away Allen’s parental rights to see Gavin?

No.

He knew the answer to that rhetorical, internal question he had boiling in the back of his mind. A real lover would _never_ even allow their significant other a moment in this situation, and he knew he had to act, _now._

Abby was on the verge of exploding, and she didn’t care or notice anything that was going on in the world around her. As she let out a litany of expletives, some pointed at Allen Reed, and others stating that her life was a joke, she was the laughing stock among her friends, her life was horrible, and she was the unluckiest woman in the world, practically.

No doubt, all the words flying out of her mouth had been uttered for the purposes of making her young son feel nothing short of horribly guilty simply for getting a tattoo. She was also trying to obtain information from him by screaming at him and pressuring him. Such tactics were unlike anything Nines had never seen a parent exhibiting, and the longer he stood there in silence, the angrier and more disgusted with Abby Reed he became.

How could any caring parent abuse their child this way?!

Abby was a psychologist! Surely she knew the ramifications her actions and choices had on her and her own son! So why was she persisting in this way?!

He really had no answer, and he had to once again conclude that humans were strange, aberrant creatures indeed.

Nines was amazed that Gavin simply stood there with his head kept down as he let his mother rant. She went on, and on, and on, and soon, she’d stopped only because she’d run out of breath and air. She placed a hand on her neck and throat, sighing as she closed her eyes and stomped her foot down on the floor one more time.

Whatever that was supposed to accomplish was beyond Nines’ comprehension and understanding, but he assumed she had finished with her rant. He glared up at her, wanting to ask her whether she really was finished or not, but then Gavin interrupted.

“I asked for that tattoo.” His voice sounded so alien and foreign to Nines’ audio receptors, but he supposed that was only the case because the teen had been silent for some time now. The tone of the adolescent’s voice was also bordering on submissive and apologetic, which made Nines fear and worry that he was soon going to disclose in a white lie that his father had indeed helped him get the tattoo…

Abby placed both hands on her hips, and her body posture sent off warning and alarm bells in the android’s mind. It wasn’t going to take too long until the woman doled out the threats, now.

“I didn’t want to ever be put in this type of an awful position, Gavin,” she stated as she took a deep breath in while placing a hand on her forehead and rubbing it back and forth gently. “…I think it’s time to call up my lawyer and ask for full custody, now.”

He had no way of controlling himself, then. Abby was literally threatening to sever the ties and bond between a father and son…and he was just standing there?

No.

No way.

He wasn’t going to allow this. He had to say something, for Gavin.

Abby nodded, hands still firmly there on her hips, “He’s going to corrupt you, Gavin, and I’m _not_ going to stand by and let him do this to you simply because he wants to buy your love out of some sense of misbegotten guilt.”

_If you’ve ever once felt a shred of love for Gavin, you’ll open your damn mouth and shout the truth out, NOW._

“NO!!!” He’d thrown his head back and screamed at her after she’d barely finished this statement.

Naturally, both Gavin and his mother snapped their necks and heads over at him, their eyes wide as they gaped at Nines. The android frowned darkly at Abby for over a minute before she tilted her head at him, a confused expression crossing her face.

Her son also was throwing Nines a puzzled expression while he mouthed: ‘what’re you doin’?’ at him.

He knew exactly what he was doing. He should’ve done this a long, _long_ time ago…

Taking a courageous step towards Abby, he met her eye-for-eye as he sneered, “It had _nothing_ to do with your ex-husband, Abby…it was _my_ choice to get Gavin a tattoo.”

Both the teenager’s jaw fell open in unison with his mother’s just then. Gavin’s hands involuntarily flew upwards to his hair, and he gripped a few strands in between his fingers as he shook his head.

“What’re you doing?!” Gavin’s whispered question went unheard by his mother, and she merely focused all her attention on turning red practically all the way up to the top curves of her breasts that were visible through her tight blouse. She crossed her arms as she regarded Nines with a dangerous temper boiling behind her eyes.

The android didn’t take a step back as she advanced, and he didn’t even flinch when she reached out with a hand and shoved him hard in the chest.

“You…you…” She didn’t even seem to know how to finish her statement, let alone start it. She tore at her clothes with her expensively-manicured nails, and they all could hear the fabric and cloth making horrible noises as she tugged and clawed at them for a few moments before she threw her head back and screamed up at the ceiling.

When she had finished with her loud outburst, she simply wheezed out at the ceiling: ‘why, why, why’, over and over again, as if the world above had an answer for her. When one hadn’t been provided, she slowly dropped her head back down to earth. She rubbed it a few times as she cried out while clenching her eyes shut: ‘dear god, why me? Why me??’

Again, no one had any answers for her, and she looked up at Nines with exhaustion and stress highly notable in her eyes.

“Nines…” she coughed, and her voice broke before she tried again, “Nines, are you being a-absolutely honest with me r-right now?”

Gavin immediately took this moment to spring into the conversation. He approached his mother as he cried out: “No!! Mom! He’s just tryin’ to not make you mad! He’d never do such a thi-”

“Shut up for a moment, Gavin!”

He didn’t go quiet immediately, but he pressed a hand against the back of his head as he started pounding his fist repeatedly into his skull.

_No…don’t do that to yourself, darling…_

Abby’s eyes zoomed in on Nines as if she were a bird of prey targeting her next meal. Dropping her hands down to her sides, she practically cat-walked over to Nines as she maintained a serious level of eye contact with the android.

She walked past Gavin, stepping on top of his dirty sweater as she advanced and crossed the distance between herself and Nines pretty quickly. There was nothing short of murder and death written in her eyes, but Nines stood tall and firm. He was going to meet her at her level, if need be. Someone had to, anyway.

“Nines,” she began in a calm tone, which somehow seemed far more menacing and threatening than her screaming, “do enlighten me…”

She saw him stand taller, and she sneered, “Are you really willing to admit to me right now that it was _you_ who went behind _my_ back and helped get _my_ son a tattoo?”

Why lie? She already knew the truth, and it was better to get it all out in the open now. He’d be nothing short of a damn coward if he took his words back now.

“Yes.”

Gavin shook his head as he turned and faced them, only able to watch in horror as his mother nodded.

Still pacing towards him, Abby glared deeply, “And you’re freely admitting and confessing that _you_ drove Gavin personally to a tattoo parlor, went in with him, watched him get a tattoo, paid for the damn thing, and then drove him back here and fed me a ton of lies right to my face?”

Again, no hesitation on his part.

“Yes, I did.”

She scoffed while her teeth gleamed dangerously at him in a cold grin, “You did…”

He nodded, “Yes, it was me, Abby,” he pointed at himself, as if she was still somehow missing the picture, “I did everything you accused me of doing.”

Her open hand connected with his cheek for the second time, but he expected and anticipated it well ahead of time. He could have avoided it and ducked, but he chose not to. He simply remained rooted to the spot while Gavin gasped as he spun around and grabbed the back of his mother’s hands before she could slap Nines again and again. The teenager’s small fingers began curling around her elbows as he made a feeble attempt to pull her away from further assaulting Nines and lashing out at him.

Abby held her ground as her eyes turned pink and wet with salty tears, “You! _You bastard_!!!”

“It’s not his fault!! I asked him to do it!!”

She ignored her son as she shook her head in disbelief at Nines, “I trusted you!! HOW COULD YOU BETRAY ME AND MY TRUST THIS WAY?!?”

He offered her nothing as he simply glared at her, her handprint forming on his cheek while Gavin repeatedly tried yanking her away from him.

“How, Nines?! HOW?!”

_Because I love Gavin._

He looked into the boy’s eyes when he thought that very notion, and Gavin sniffled as he hid his flushed face against his mother’s back, obviously succumbing to his own round of tears.

“Mom…” he whispered weakly when she took a step away from Nines, finally giving up on assaulting him.

Abby Reed pushed a hand through her hair while she draped an arm around Gavin’s shoulders and pulled her son around to her side. The teenager simply stared up at Nines with a sad, remorseful expression while his mother placed a hand on the back of his head, then.

“Gavin’s my son, god damn you!” She shook, barely able to repress her rage as she bunched her hands up in fists while Gavin whimpered and pleaded ‘no, no, no’…

A long finger pointed out at him, and Nines scowled at it for a moment.

“ _You_ leave someone else’s child alone!!” Her voice was shrill and grating, but he tolerated it as he simply stared on at her, forcing himself to shut his mouth and not talk back to her. He’d wanted to dish out so many insults regarding her parenting skills-or lack thereof-as well as give Abby Reed a fresh lesson in morality, given how she painted a horrible, deceitful picture about her ex-husband and force-fed it to her own son, and even to Nines himself simply for the purposes of garnering sympathy and empathy.

Pathetic.

Pot calling kettle black?

No, it was much more than that.

It was all going to be a pointless effort, sadly; he’d just be wasting his breath on the woman. She wouldn’t hear anyone out, no matter how sound and logical they were. It was all pointless and aimless, and he already knew what words were about to spill out of her mouth before she’d even said them.

She gave him a cold, heartless glare, “I want you to pack whatever belongings you brought with you here and leave my home at once.”

He’d known she would’ve said as much, but it still did something very damaging and caused something to hurt inside him as he stared emptily at her while Gavin practically fell down to his knees on the floor as he begged and pleaded with his mother to reconsider it, change her mind, and to not throw him out of their house.

His words and cries had fallen on deaf ears; she’d already made up her mind firmly. Nothing was going to change it, and Gavin soon realized it as he cradled his knees into his chest and sobbed against his arms. He’d shielded himself from the adults witnessing him crying, but that didn’t alter the fact that he was far more affected by this than he wanted them to believe.

While Nines gathered his belongings, he would every-so-often witness Gavin’s shoulders shaking as he sniffled and sobbed into his arms while rocking himself on the carpet.

He’d made numerous attempts at holding back on consoling and comforting the boy, not able to take the sight of the one he loved dearly in so much pain and turmoil. Abby was standing too close to Gavin while spitting cruel words and phrases at him.

“Your arm, Gavin!” She scolded him, “Look what he’s done to your arm!! YOUR SKIN!!”

The boy only sobbed harder, and Nines felt the pain increasing by each labored breath and sniff Gavin let out. It was impossible to ignore and push to the back of his mind, at this point.

He couldn’t hold back any longer, and he’d raced over towards Gavin, but Abby immediately rounded on him viciously. She’d shielded Gavin by standing between them and keeping them from each other like a protective mother hen, standing as tall as she could in front of Nines while she snarled at him and urged him to hurry up and get lost while he had the chance.

Not wanting her to call CyberLife, Nines obeyed. He turned and walked out of the front door of the house without another word.

He’d lost; he couldn’t argue with an angry parent who had full rights and the law behind her when it came to her son. This wasn’t a game he could play anymore, and he was willing to accept the loss and walk away.

What other choice did he really have?

Still, nothing helped the pain that throbbed and throbbed inside him, only growing and increasing with every step he took that led him further and further away from 282 Park Row Avenue.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

He knew he had no other place left to go. Renting an apartment was out of the question, as he had no source of income, and there was no way for him to stay at a ‘shelter’, as there weren’t any currently available for androids, it seemed.

Luck hadn’t ever been on his side to begin with, so why should it swoop in to rescue him now?

Everywhere he turned, doors slammed in on his face, and people turned their noses up at him as if he had committed a horrible crime.

In a way, Nines knew he had.

He’d tainted a young person, and no matter how much he knew he loved Gavin and cared for him deeply, it was still a crime…no…it was a sin…

Feeling more disgusted with himself than ever, Nines knew where he had to turn to, next. When all else failed, he still at least had one more home that would always be there for him, and he could always return to it. It was a place where he wouldn’t be mocked, judged, or abused.

Though he was loathed to admit it, Nines felt ‘safe’ there…as much as an android could ever feel safe, anyway.

At least he felt welcome here, and at least he had some friends to return to and engage in lively, fond discussions and memory-sharing with. These friends would understand him because they were exactly like him, and they’d likely all now been through the same experiences together, which would in turn bring them all closer…

All these reasons brought him renewed hope, and his purpose now was specifically and exactly why Nines was standing right before the doors of the same old CyberLife shop he’d first been purchased from.

It seemed so long ago, now, but here he was again, back to square one. When he stepped inside the shop, it was as if he’d turned back time…

Nothing had changed at all; majority of the androids for sale still were placed on their prospective platforms and stood staring outside at the world beyond the glass windows and barriers the store provided and kept them in. They were all prisoners, still, but now Nines knew that he was a willing prisoner, among them all. After all, he’d been the one who’d returned after the chains had been lifted, hadn’t he?

He’d willingly accepted his fate, now, and he walked right in the front doors with a small smile on his face, his old RK900 uniform back on his torso.

It had barely taken a few minutes before the sales representatives called up a few technicians from CyberLife’s headquarters. They’d sent someone out within an hour while Nines was checked, his uniform cleaned, and a brand new one placed on him in the meantime.

He was kept away from the other androids for a while, just until the CyberLife technician had arrived to take a look at him. Due to his previous experiences with anyone from CyberLife and any of their associates, Nines knew that the technician was going to check if he had his memory wiped since his owners had decided to let him go back to CyberLife.

Many androids had to have their memories wiped-as per legal policy and CyberLife policy-if they were to return to the warehouses and be resold again. It was the only way the humans could feel safe, and have their privacy not infringed upon…

They all knew the ‘rules’, but no one followed through with it. Every single android faked that they already had their memories wiped by their owners or prior to actually being returned to the CyberLife shop, and a lot of them managed to trick and fool the technicians by uploading random bits of information that was crucial to their system, such as data, storage files that were clean or independent from their masters and owners, and other information that proved they had no ‘memories’…

It was simple to conjure information that was absolutely meaningless. Most of the androids pretended they had been wiped to a ‘clean slate’ as they gave the CyberLife technicians fake smiles while stating and spouting off random facts about the weather, global warming, extinct and endangered species, world hunger, child poverty, but also what upcoming shows and movies were soon to air and premier…

Most of the technicians didn’t seem to find anything wrong with an android that was behaving as it should’ve been, and that was the key secret to how many of the androids that had returned were able to keep their memories and keep on sharing their stories with the others.

It was the sole reason why they were alive, and why they were able to keep going…

And now, Nines found himself in the same position as many others before him (and many others to come after him) as he stared into the black eyes of an over-worked CyberLife employee. The technician had forced him to run a diagnostic, and Nines’ exams and processes of systems checking had taken a longer time, only due to the fact that he was a newer and more advanced prototype.

With that privilege, he was able to also trick the technician even better, and the man left with a report that would hopefully be more than satisfactory to submit to his superiors about how Nines was ‘clean’, and his memories were all gone. He would be declared ‘ready for purchase’ within a time span of forty-eight hours again after they’d finalized the paperwork and checked it all through with a CyberLife stamp on the top right-hand corner.

Great.

This was his life again; standing at the forefront of the shop window as he forced himself to smile every once in a while at people who stopped and gaped openly at him as if he were a freak of nature.

He’d been doing nothing but reminiscing and reflecting on what had happened to him when he noticed that the trees were in full blossom, suddenly, and he heard the androids next to him speaking about how within two and a half more weeks, schools would be out for the summer…

Time had gone by yet again and slipped through his fingers without him having so much as even noticing it, hardly. All he knew was that one moment the technician had run all the tests to poke and prod into his ‘brain’ and see what he stored in there, and the next moment, he was ‘back on the market’ as the weather turned to full blown early-summer.

He’d been successfully able to pull up what was practically a white, concrete wall that protected and hid all his memories shared with the Reed family. From the first day he met them, right up until now, Nines had been working hard on this ‘wall’. He didn’t exactly anticipate that Abby would have kicked him out, but he’d built his wall for protection purposes anyway, and had put in more effort into sealing it shut when he first realized he was in love with Gavin…

Gavin Reed…

He could still picture his face right in front of his eyes even now as he stared out the window out into the streets before him.

Plenty of times, teenagers had walked past the store windows. They’d often paused and gaped at him with shocked expressions on their faces. Nines had hoped one of them would have been Gavin in the month or so that he’d spent in CyberLife’s shop, but alas, to his dismay, none of the teenage males that walked by him ever were Gavin.

The android liked to think that Gavin’s mind was on him as much as his mind was on the teenager, but he supposed that Abby was far too involved in her son’s life at this point to ever even allow him a moment’s worth of peace and privacy to himself.

It was highly unlikely that Gavin even wanted to get into more trouble, so why would he be thinking about him? It was absurd altogether, and he should have abandoned that thought and focused on spending time with his friends before another family took interest in him.

Well, that was what he _should_ have been doing, but never ended up actually doing it.

Nines thought of Gavin interminably.

No…he was obsessed with the young teenager, and he couldn’t deny it even to himself.

It wasn’t that he’d meant to do it on purpose; the boy just was always there in his mind effortlessly as a fish needing to live in water.

Anything reminded Nines of Gavin. Sometimes, a teenager or younger man would enter the store laughing, and for a moment, it would remind Nines of the way Gavin used to laugh with him. Sometimes, he would see tattoos on someone, and he would be reminded of Gavin’s tattoo right then and there…

Other times, he just would see a couple kissing as they waited for a bus or a taxi, and he thought of Gavin’s lips pressed against his own…

He couldn’t escape Gavin even in memory, it seemed, and he found he didn’t want to. Just as long as no one caught onto his daydreaming, he figured he would be fine…

Except, a few androids _did_ catch onto it one day.

Nines had been smiling outside the windows with a strange, lopsided grin. He didn’t exactly think anyone had seen the way he was staring off into space when he was thinking about Gavin. The store had actually been rather busy that morning, and customers were all over the place due to a seasonal special where most of the androids were more than 50% off, which was a rather good deal and had made a lot of people flock over to the CyberLife shop.

Nines figured this would be the best time to pull up the memory of his first ‘real’ kiss with Gavin, and that did not include the one at the party. He suddenly realized he had never gotten the chance to even tell the boy about that incident, but he figured some things were probably better left forgotten anyway.

After all, the ‘second’ kiss had been a lot better anyway, and he much preferred Gavin fully participating when he was _not_ inebriated…

When he was stuck on the issue of memories, he suddenly remembered that almost a full month ago, he left 282 Park Row Avenue without even having had the chance to tell Gavin he loved him…yes, Gavin had confessed his true feelings to him, but Nines never got to say it back.

Life was absolutely cruel sometimes.

He’d never gotten to say goodbye, or that he loved Gavin.

Suddenly, the android next to him-a female with long, blonde curly hair, light brown eyebrows, and chocolate brown eyes-an AG500-otherwise known as ‘Jackie’ to the rest of the androids in the shop-looked over at him and smiled warmly. A little girl pulled on her arm, and she held onto her hand as she smiled at Nines when the girl’s parents took her away from the android.

Jackie was a very kind-hearted, free-spirited android. She’d been sold to a childless couple who’d been trying very hard for a baby for a year, but when they tried for the last time and were unable to, they’d given up on everything. That sadly included Jackie, as they’d purchased her to help around with the baby. When they’d failed to have the baby, Jackie had to go, and she’d been returned to the CyberLife shop since.

Nines really felt close to her, and he really enjoyed how quickly she’d warmed up to him and opened up to him. She’d talked about her short-but-sad experiences, and together, they’d learned to focus on the happy and the good; not the bad. They were fast friends, and Nines loved listening to her for hours and hours on end.

“Nines,” she began in a gentle tone of voice as her LED light turned yellow, and they began interfacing and communicating telepathically.

“ _I know that look, Nines,”_ she whispered in her head with a hint of a giggle in her tone, _“that’s the look of someone who’s thinking about a special someone else…”_

 _“No way! I…well…”_ He had to pause, trying to gather his words to cover up for his mistake, but Jackie read through the act.

_“Stop trying to pretend, Nines, it doesn’t suit you.”_

He practically growled in his thoughts at her. _“Jackie, I’m not doing ‘anything’…I think you’re far too bored lately and need to find entertainment in the silliest and most minor things…”_

Across the store behind them, a male android with shortly-cropped black hair and green eyes smirked as his LED light turned yellow, and he joined in on their mental dialogue and chattering while a group of children ran and danced around his long legs.

He was called ‘Ron’ by the other androids, but to the humans, he was known as RN300. A bit of an older model, Ron had been the faithful companion of an elderly couple who’d been living with their grown son for a few happy years. Unfortunately, hard times fell on that little family, and when the son had gambled all his savings away, his elderly parents had sold Ron back to the CyberLife shop just to have enough money for the rent of the apartment.

Sad experiences seemed to be common in the company Nines kept, but he admired how optimistic Ron was, and he seemed to even have some sort of a ‘crush’ on Jackie…Nines liked to pretend he didn’t notice it, but every so often, he would tease Ron about his feelings for their female friend.

_“Jackie’s right, Nines, just admit who the lucky girl is, and you’ll feel better!!”_

The other two laughed while Nines fumed.

 _“Come come, Nines,”_ Jackie’s voice was suddenly so soothing, and almost motherly, “ _—it was only a joke!”_

The tallest android of them all merely shrugged, but he made sure only to do so when he was certain no one was looking in their direction.

“ _It may not be entirely untrue…”_

They’d definitely heard him correctly, but they still had wide eyes for a second, before more customers breezed past them and paused to stare. The androids all wore similar smiles as they beamed at the customers and remembered to look ‘happy’ while on display…

Ron managed to keep his LED light blue as he maintained the line of communication open.

“ _Nines! Could it in fact be that you’re fancying someone here in this very shop?!”_

The android had a little bit of dramatized vocal tones, but Nines didn’t mind it as he smiled on.

_“Not in this shop, no…”_

Jackie raised an inquisitive eyebrow, “ _So she’s not an android?”_

Nines paused, _“Not really.”_

It was Ron’s turn to guess, “ _She’s a human!!”_

Jackie gasped in fright, “ _Nines! That’s very courageous of you, but isn’t that such a cliché?”_

 _“Hmm, quite,”_ Ron added in his peculiar mockery of a British accent he often spoke in, even though he wasn’t British, “ _an android falling in love with a human; the oldest story in the book.”_

This amused Jackie, and she giggled. _“It is kind of adorable when you really think about it; Nines wants what he never can have…”_

_“Don’t we all?”_

Nines saw a few customers approaching Ron, “ _Looks like you’ll be busy from now on, Ron…”_

The other android growled, _“I’ll still be listening!!”_

_“I know, that’s what pains me.”_

With Ron occupied, now, Nines had his full attention on Jackie. Outside the shop, a large crowd had formed, and people were literally pushing and fighting their way to get indoors, especially to take a peek at the RK900…

Jackie had a glint in her eyes that told Nines something else was on her mind, even though she wasn’t staring at him.

_“What’re you thinking about, Jackie?”_

_“She’s not an android, and she’s not exactly a ‘she’, right?”_

Her powers of intuition were astounding.

Nines smirked out the window when he saw a flash of dark brown hair, and he froze up for a moment.

_“Do you have ESP or something, Jackie?”_

Nines stared at the dark brown hair, but he wasn’t sure if the individual was male or female, as they had on a hoodie and were now hidden between the large crowd slowly spilling inside the shop.

The female android next to him grinned like she’d won a prize, “ _You’re not as poker-faced as you once were, Nines, someone’s rubbed off on you, I think.”_

_“In a good way?”_

_“The very best…”_

The door of the shop flew open, and more loud noises from the streets outside as well as the warm wind blew inside. It made Nines somehow nostalgic.

“ _He told me he loved me, but I never got a chance to say it back to him…”_

She seemed to understand, for she gave him a small, empathetic look.

Suddenly, another connection chimed in, and Ron’s grumpy, British accent interrupted them, “ _Wait, you’re in love with a—”_

Jackie didn’t want to fill Ron in on the details, already addressing Nines. _“You need to tell him you love him before it’s too late, Nines!!”_

_“Wait, how do you know he loves him in return??”_

Nines snarled at them all the same time the door of the shop flew open again. His eyes barely caught the highlights that were a golden blonde, but he refused to believe it. He shook his head as he banished the foolish thoughts and dreams from his eyes.

Jackie turned to him, her LED light red, “ _You do love him, right Nines?”_

He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to be judged by them, but he knew he was among friends. No matter what he said, these androids were like him, and they seemed to understand him without pressing for further details. He felt comfortable and safe…

_“Of course I love him; I’ve loved him ever since I laid eyes on him, practically.”_

It seemed as if she no longer cared that plenty of people were circling them and touching their uniforms. Jackie pressed a hand down over his, and he looped his fingers around hers as they smiled warmly at each other.

_“Nines, go after him.”_

Even Ron was all smiles as he watched them from across the store. _“I agree, mate, love only happens to those who are very lucky, but the luckiest ones keep that love for as long as they can.”_

Nines was about to make a comment about how corny his friends were lately, when he was spun around with a strong hand. He nearly fell off his stand, but when he turned to face whoever had grabbed and spun him around so hard, he nearly collapsed and fell down out of fear and shock.

He hadn’t been dreaming at all…unless…unless this was somehow one of the worst versions of a nightmare an android could ever experience. He blinked hard, but what he was faced with wouldn’t go away…

No…not ‘what’ he was faced with…

 _Who_ he was faced with…

He was eye-to-eye with Abby Reed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just gotta say: Jackie and Ron are the BEST friends Nines could have. Ron also speaks in a British accent because the couple he lived with were British (just random facts no one gives a hoot about lel).  
> DING DONG THE WITCH IS BACK! (Abby, I mean).


	25. Lady Luck in the Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: ANGST AND EMOTIONAL CRAP!*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ron and Jackie are so fecking cute. Just wanted to say that while I could.  
> My mans! This chapter is long a.f., just warning ya'll.

It was Abby Reed, and he hadn’t been dreaming. The woman was before him now, and a sales representative was not too far behind her as he waved a hand around at her while more people walked in the store.

“Miss! Miss!” He called after her numerous times while other customers approached him and tried getting his attention, and he would smile at them as he held up a finger and told them to wait while he tried making his way towards Abby Reed.

She gasped as she held up two hands and clasped them over her mouth and nose while her eyes flooded with emotions and tears. Seemingly caught between pain and desperation, she exchanged looks that held enough of their own weight and words with Nines. The android stood still as he looked down at her, and Ron and Jackie (as well as other androids around the shop) soon began peeking over at them curiously.

While nothing had been said between Nines and Abby, it seemed as if they both were able to communicate and say a lot without saying anything…the emotions even rolled over like a wave and hit his two closest android friends.

 _“…Is this the woman you’re in love with?”_ Ron asked the question in an odd, confused tone, and then Jackie hissed at him.

“ _Nines loves a man; not a woman, you dolt!”_

He ignored them as he clasped his hands behind his back while Abby cried up at him. After a moment of realizing this was indeed all happening and not a part of her imagination, she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him against her chest as she embraced him tightly.

“… _They’re definitely in love…”_

_“Ron!”_

_“I may be a pillock at times,_ ” Ron drawled out internally in a laze tone, “ _but I’m absolutely certain this woman wants to woo and seduce our Nines!!”_

Jackie audibly sighed, and it caused a young boy and girl to gasp when they heard it come from nowhere.

“Nines!” Abby suddenly let go of him, and he stumbled backwards a little, crashing into Jackie’s back while she forced herself to stare out the display window.

“ _Feisty thing!”_

Nines stared at Abby blankly. As much as he wanted to shout at her, tell her to go away, and scream at her from the bottom of his lungs (vocal projectors!) and say worse things to her regarding how she’d made him and her own son suffer, he knew he couldn’t do that. He had to play the role of an android who had all his memories wiped, and he knew all eyes of the sales representatives and the few CyberLife technicians brought in as speakers and presenters for the sale were watching him carefully. Now was _not_ the time to lose himself.

Sensing something was ‘off’ about him, Abby tucked away a highlighted hair strand behind her ear as she frowned slightly at him while shoving her hoodie down, “Nines? What’s wrong?”

He simply tilted his head at her while he saw a CyberLife technician making his way over toward them.

“Nines! I need you to come home, please!!” Her words really shook him, and for a long time, Nines was certain he was either dreaming, or he’d misheard her somehow. There was just no way that Abby Reed had begged him in a pathetic, weak tone of voice to come home…no way…

She looked down at the floor, then, wringing her hands nervously as she inhaled sharply and bit her lower lip. Her brows furrowed as she sighed, “I need your help… _we_ need your help, Nines!”

He faked a smile, “How may I help you, Miss?”

She gaped up at him with wide eyes, and the CyberLife technician adjusted his glasses as he smiled at her.

“It’s Gavin!” she gasped, and she clenched her eyes, as if in severe pain, “Nines, he needs your help!”

He knew she hadn’t been lying when he heard the wail and screech in her tone, barely audible, but still pushing out between every syllable and vowel. It caused him great concern, but he flew into ‘panic over-drive’ when she’d mentioned that Gavin needed his help. His LED light had gone red in a second, and his friends had caught it while the CyberLife technician was pushed to the side by a large, burly customer before he could see it.

Jackie took a peek over her shoulder. _“Be careful, Nines, lest the humans see your true emotions and desires…”_

Ron’s eyes widened in warning while a child tugged on his arms as he clasped them behind his back firmly. “ _Don’t let her see your true colors, Nines!”_ A second later, the classic-hit song ‘True Colors’ by Cyndi Lauper played in Ron’s head and was transmitted between them all while Jackie rolled her eyes.

“ _You’re incorrigible, Ron…”_

“ _Would you both shut up?!”_ He took a step back when Abby approached him again and the technician finally caught up to her.

“Everything alright, Ma’am?” He smiled warmly at her and she gave him a withering glance while pointing at Nines.

“I would like my android back, please.”

He frowned in confusion, “I’m sorry?”

_“But I see your true colors, shining through! I see your true colors, and that’s why I love you!”_

Oh how difficult it was becoming not to roll his eyes at Ron’s music.

Abby grabbed the technician’s arm and practically tugged him in between two other people’s bodies as she threw him at Nines. “I want my android back!!”

The technician scowled at her as he pushed his glasses up his nose with a finger, “I don’t follow, Ma’am,” he looked at Nines for a second and then his eyes went back to her, “are you saying this android is yours?”

“Yes! I mean…no!” She shook her head as she threw him a pained look, “Yes he was mine once, but I…I…”

The technician gasped, “Did your android run away, Ma’am?!”

She shook her head wildly, “Noooo!! I just-”

The technician had interrupted her, “—Because if he _did_ in fact run away on his own accord, he must be a deviant that slipped through our system, and we need to test—”

She grabbed both his shoulders and shook him violently, “HE’S NOT A FUCKING DEVIANT! HE’S JUST THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SAVE MY TEENAGE SON RIGHT NOW, YOU LIMP DICK!!!”

The entire store was silent for well over three minutes.

You could hear a pin drop in the painful silence, and a lot of customers winced, cringed, and the ones with children walked out briskly while placing their hands over their little ears while scowling angrily at Abby.

The technician’s eyes grew even wider, and his glasses slipped and slid down his nose until they were resting on the tip, barely dangling partly in the air and partly on his nose.

Ron’s music had turned off as well, and Jackie looked like she was frozen in time and ice as she simply stared out the corners of her eyes at them standing behind her.

Even the air conditioning in the shop was loud, and people still didn’t stir or say a word as they stared at Abby until she pushed her hair back and spun around to face them.

“What’re you all looking at?! Mind your own business!!” It appeared that in the last month, Abby Reed had grown more brazen, bolder, and a lot angrier. She frowned until majority of the customers in the store had turned around and busied themselves with other things that didn’t involve staring at her openly with wide-open mouths.

The store buzzed with activity once again, and the strange technician gave her a quizzical look as he scratched his head, “Ma’am? What’s your issue regarding the RK900?”

Something about the way the technician referred to him as a number hurt him deeply. It’d appeared that he’d grown so accustomed to being called ‘Nines’ for a quite a long time that hearing a simple model number or serial number shook him back to the sad reality he’d once lived…

Perhaps he had taken everything for granted…

Abby’s head spun back and forth between them as she struggled with her words. “Oh…umm!” She cleared her throat a few times while she stammered out, “I j-just want my android back…I asked him to leave my house, but my son needs him…”

The technician still didn’t follow entirely, and he frowned as he squinted over at Nines. “Ma’am, as per CyberLife policy and for future opportunities of customer service improvement, we’ll need to understand why you asked your android to leave,” he gazed at her then, “were you somehow unsatisfied with the services your android provided for you?”

She rolled her eyes, “No, not exactly, but—”

“Would you be interested in taking part in a customer satisfaction and feedback survey for CyberLife to ensure that—”

“NO!!!”

Once again, the CyberLife shop grew dead silent. Abby’s second outburst made the technician blush, and he waved and held up a hand as he spun to face the other customers.

“A little issue! We’re handling it the best way we can, folks!! I apologize!!”

“ _Oh for the love of fluffy duck farts…”_

He nearly snickered at Jackie’s use of rhetoric, and Ron muttered something about how adorable Jackie was.

Abby desperately clung to the technician’s shirt sleeves, tugging on them like an impatient child wanting to go home or get ice-cream would. “Please! Just let me take Nines with me, and I swear to you that I’ll never return to your store and cause trouble ever again!!”

Ron raised an eyebrow elegantly. _“Someone needs to tell her to slam down on the breaks of the Needy Train already…”_

 _“RON!”_ Jackie shook her head and threw him a glare over her shoulder, “ _You’re no help at all!”_

Nines simply offered Abby a smile while the technician took a step closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Is _this_ ‘Nines’?”

 _“And you call ME a pillock sometimes,_ ” Ron hissed while Nines tried blocking their communication out.

Abby pointed at Nines, “Yes! This is Nines, and I want him back, please!!”

“Woah woah,” the technician gave a small, uneasy chuckle, “I understand your frustrations, Ma’am, but this ‘Nines’ is probably not in the same state of…well… ‘mind’-for lack of a better term-as you last remember him being in.”

It was the pitch and speech that they were required to give all customers who wanted to re-purchase and reclaim their androids, but he knew it wasn’t true for most of the android cases. Their defenses and walls were well built, and he was going to hang onto every memory of Gavin until he had turned to dust. It went against every bit of energy had to remained tight-lipped and silent as he pretended to be a ‘freshly mind-wiped’ android, void of all things he’d once held dear.

He hoped it wouldn’t make Abby run away, though, and he suddenly felt so stuck. Now, he was trapped in a position that he’d never expected to land himself in…

He had to keep up with the act and pretense that he was mind and memory-wiped, all the while trying to ensure Abby wouldn’t abandon him for the second time…if she deemed him unworthy of returning home, then she would walk away, and he would lose his second chance to see Gavin again.

Ironically, the last person in the world he wanted to see was turning out to be his one and only hope.

What could he do?!

Abby pushed away a little bang away from her forehead as she gasped, “What have you done to him?!”

The technician sighed in exasperation, “Nothing, Ma’am, it’s just a policy and procedure CyberLife deems necessary for your own protection and safety, that’s all.”

“ _That’s what they always say.”_ Ron and Jackie both simultaneously grumbled out irritably.

“You mean you tampered with his memories?!?!” Abby screamed out in frustration and shock as she turned fully to the technician and stared at him in sheer terror.

“Afraid so, Ma’am.”

Abby paused for a moment, and Nines was worried that she was going to either slap the technician, Nines himself, or both of them. He just kept his smile on as widely as he could, and he held his head up high as he looked intently at her.

“The weather forecast predicts a wonderfully bright, sunny week ahead with a mild chance of showers for the last of those beautiful summer flowers to spring up!!”

Abby’s jaw dropped, and the technician beamed up in pride as he pet Nines on the shoulder.

“See?” He chuckled and shrugged, “Built and fit perfectly to suit your consumer needs on a daily basis!”

“ _Christ, I can’t stand him peddling his bullshit any longer.”_

Nines had to agree with Jackie, but he smiled a toothy smile at Abby, hoping she would come around and get the hints he was dropping her.

Sadly, Abby was far too much on edge-emotionally-and she wasn’t able to see Nines’ lips wavering downwards into a pained grimace, even though his eyes seemed ‘happy’.

“He’s broken…he’s broken…” while pacing, she repeated this as she shook her head and tried denying it, half a second later.

“No…no…” she spun around and glared at the technician, “You can fix him up, can’t you?”

“Uh…”

“Fix him. NOW.”

He shook his head as he leaned back when she approached him steadily, “Ma’am, I don’t think we can-”

“Might I interest you in the latest fashion trends for teenagers all around North America, presently?” He felt he had to interrupt, before Abby caused another scene entirely and security came out to handle it.

She glared at Nines for interrupting, “That’s not what I’m here for—”

“Say ‘yes’ to hear the latest and greatest for _fifteen-year-old_ teenage boys today!!” His eyes widened dramatically as he smiled at her, and then something clicked. He hoped the technician hadn’t heard him putting the greatest amount of emphasis on ‘fifteen-year-old’, and luck seemed to be on his side as the human male took off his glasses and wiped them on the center of his shirt.

It seemed as if magic had happened, and one minute, Abby was pointing her finger in the technician’s face, and then the next, she slowly turned her head around and faced Nines while her jaw dropped open. It seemed to all happen in slow-motion, and it looked silly for a moment. But her eyes began shining then, and she nodded once as she gasped softly.

Nines nodded in confirmation. Abby had caught on.

“Yes…”

Readjusting his lenses, the technician stared at her in confusion, “Ma’am? Everything alright?”

Nines took only half a step forward, and he applied the smallest bit of pressure on Abby’s toe. A few other customers walked by, bumping into the back of the technician, and he turned around and called after them, and Nines took the opportunity to wink at Abby while she was distracted. He then stepped on her toe a little firmly, and she gasped once more.

She slapped a hand over her mouth when the technician turned to them again, and Nines removed his foot off hers. He took a step back and clasped his hands behind himself as Abby grabbed his shoulder and pulled him over to the front of the line waiting at the front counter of the shop.

Nines felt his stomach being slammed and pressed up into the counter, but he offered the sales representatives a large smile while Abby flung her hands around and motioned at Nines’ height.

“This is _my_ android, and I want him back!!”

Behind her in line, many customers voiced their anger and disapproval for her cutting and butting in when she should have waited her turn, but when she snapped at them to be silent, they immediately obeyed. As Nines stood behind the woman, he felt he had to admire her strength and bravery, then. She hadn’t seemed so brazen and forward at first, but he’d misjudged her and underestimated her, terribly. Abby Reed was a woman who knew what she wanted and went after with her claws and teeth, and he was impressed.

The sales representatives and customer care specialists hurriedly tried calming down the rest of the angry customers who were growing more impatient by the minute while another customer care specialist winced at Abby and her sense of forwardness.

“Do you have your receipt or any proof of a transaction?”

Abby sighed, “This is _sooo_ not the time to be asking me this…” She still dug around in her purse while Nines turned and gave one final glance of a ‘goodbye’ over at his friends.

They smiled over at him as well, and they all nodded at each other in an understanding, silent way.

Ron was the first to think out: “ _I’ll miss you, you silly wanker.”_

“ _I hope this woman will treat you properly this time around, Nines.”_ Jackie added, and Nines rolled his eyes.

Abby yanked out her credit card, and a whole stack of documents suddenly, “Aha!!” she smiled excitedly with joy, “I knew I had them here with me!!”

The sales representative gave her a weary look, but didn’t say anything else when the CyberLife technician finally caught up to them and whispered something in the sales representative’s ear while looking at the documents and papers Abby had provided.

They seemed to be going over everything with a fine-tooth comb, and then Ron snapped to attention.

“ _What a minute, why is Jackie saying she hopes this woman will treat you right, Nines? I thought you were in love with a man?”_

 _“Oh dear god…you’re an idiot!”_ Jackie had hissed at him not even a second later.

Nines beamed at them. _“You two better take care of each other, you hear me?”_

They tossed him little fleeting smiles.

_“Of course we will, love.”_

_“You bet, mate.”_

He really was going to miss them, but he had to push that back for now; Gavin needed him, and that was enough to demand his attention back.

Once Abby’s documents and ‘proof’ had been accepted and verified, he himself was practically grabbing her by the hand and leading her out of the crowded store.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

They wasted no time in getting caught up when they’d finalized everything and were able to fight their way out of the shop. Nines took one last look at the display windows to see all his android friends waving at him ‘goodbye’, and he’d waved back quickly before Abby dragged him to her car.

“What’s going on?” He found his voice to ask that when she drove down the streets as if on a high-speed chase with the police. Nines began fearing that they would get in an accident, but he gripped his kneecaps as he sat in the passenger seat and was ready to listen to what she had to tell him.

Abby sniffled as she rubbed a hand over her nose and her eyes grew pink, “It’s Gavin!” she exhaled painfully, “he’s in a lot of trouble, Nines!”

The android tried holding back his fears and worries, but they evidently showed on his face. Abby looked at him and she gasped suddenly.

“Are you-are you s-sure they didn’t w-wipe your memories?”

He growled, “Abby! I’m sure! Just tell me what’s going on!!”

Oh how he hated suspense.

Abby nodded as she focused on the road, “Right! He-he’s not attending his classes anymore, Nines, and he’s sometimes locking himself in his room for days on end!!”

He almost expected that kind of behavior from Gavin, but saying that out loud was ludicrous and an excuse to hide the truth. Nines knew fully well that Gavin wasn’t going to be the same after he’d left, and it was because he himself wasn’t the same. The distance had done a lot of negative things to him, but it also had given him an opportunity to think a lot about their relationship…

Regardless of whatever had happened, he’d never regretted a single experience with Gavin, and he still wanted Gavin just as the day he realized he loved him. Why should they have to be punished for exhibiting nothing but love and support for one another? They weren’t hurting anyone, and frankly, Nines didn’t want to live without Gavin, and he was positive the adolescent felt the same.

He had to!

Abby turned the steering wheel of the car abruptly when another car breezed by her and suddenly switched into her lane.

“Asshole!!” She flipped the driver off as she looked at Nines, “I don’t know what you’ve done to my son, but he isn’t the same and hasn’t been since you left, Nines!”

Nines didn’t say anything, only choosing to peer out the window as little raindrops splattered down from the cloudy skies above. It matched his darkening mood as Nines frowned at the small reflection of himself in the clean glass.

“Is he on drugs?”

He hadn’t wanted to open that can of worms, but everything about the desperation in Abby’s eyes, her fluctuating tone of voice, her roller coaster display of emotions, as well as the feeling deep down in his own gut seemed to suggest this.

It wasn’t uncommon for teenagers Gavin’s age to resort to such things for the purposes of ‘self-medicating’ and turn to for comfort. He hated thinking this way about his lover, but he had to consider this possibility.

Realizing Abby hadn’t provided him with an answer, he turned to her, this time barking his question out more seriously.

“Abby! Is Gavin on drugs??”

Abby whimpered, slamming a hand down over her mouth as she breathed harshly, her nostrils flaring as she shook her head, “I don’t think s-so, but he hardly eats, he hardly sleeps, he is skipping classes, and when he does go to school, he is being beaten up by other kids and he won’t report them or do anything about it!!”

Aggression and violence had been Gavin’s coping mechanism, even before they’d turned to each other for a relationship. He was hardly surprised, but a bitter, cynical, vindictive side of him couldn’t help but want to snap at Abby for it.

Glaring angrily and heatedly at her, he ground out, “One month, Abby,” he shook his head at her, “I’ve been gone for _one_ god damn month, and this happens??”

The woman bowed her head down, her shoulders quaking as she sniffled. “I’m s-sorry!”

The raindrops pelted the roof of the car loudly, and Nines felt his head about to explode.

Rage was overtaking his senses, and before he exploded, he breathed out carefully, “What do you want me to do, Abby?”

The question had caught her off-guard. She sputtered and stammered for a moment, which allowed him to continue on.

“You asked me to get out of your home and leave your son alone,” he turned his gaze directly outside the windshield, “and now you want me back?”

Humans.

Such fickle-minded creatures.

Abby ground her teeth together, her jaw tightening and clenching, “Believe me,” she pressed out as she looked into the rearview mirror and switched lanes before someone honked at her, “you are my _last_ hope now, Nines…”

He turned to her, an eyebrow raised high on his forehead, “Your last hope?”

She held tightly onto the steering wheel for a moment, her long fingernails scraping it in small circles. She constantly looked into the rearview mirror and kept cautious eyes on the road, even though she was only driving down a highway in a straight path, now. Her jaw tightened and her eyes turned watery, and she tilted her head down and wiped the corners of them with her shirt.

“You h-have to he-help me save Gavin, Nines!”

Of course, a statement like this sent huge alarm bells off in the android’s mind.

What had this meant?

Was Gavin in danger?!

Who was threatening him?

He glared heatedly, “Is it his father?”

She looked puzzled, and then she did a double-take; staring at him, the road, and then back at him again, “No!!” She still gripped the wheel tightly, “He’s just not himself anymore, and he seems to have no motivation to do anything!!”

“No motivation?”

She let out a strained laugh at his question, “I know, it’s pretty funny, right? A developmental psychologist who can’t even raise her own child properly. There’s a laugh.”

He didn’t think it was funny, and he regarded her with an incredulous look, followed by an exasperated sigh, “It’s not funny, Abby,” he was absolutely honest throughout his statement with her, hoping he could talk some sense into her, “I’m not one to judge a family, especially considering how I’ve never had one of my own.”

Biting and chewing on her lower lip as if it were bubblegum, Abby stared at him slowly, “So then what’re you trying to say, Nines?”

He spun around and threw her a deep, dark scowl, his LED light red while lightning flashed outside, and the rain grew stronger.

“I don’t think it’s funny, Abby,” he nearly growled, “I think it’s actually quite sad.”

How could she argue that? Abby Reed was beyond livid and offended. She bit down on her tongue before an insult flew out of her mouth, and she curled her right-hand into a fist while pounding it against her thigh.

Once, twice, three times she looked at Nines, the road ahead, and then over at her side of the window. Finally, she let out a warm puff of air, closed her eyes, and shrugged.

“You’re right.”

He lifted an eyebrow. Truthfully, he was shocked these words came out of her, but they had. Perhaps there was still some hope for Abby Reed after all.

Leaning forward slightly, he looked ahead out the window, “This was the first case where I could safely say you handled something like a grown adult, Abby.”

He knew that she knew he hadn’t meant to insult her; he was being absolutely blunt. She needed to hear it, and she didn’t push it out as she nodded and put on a strong, confidence face while wiping her eyes.

“You’re right…” she shrugged and nodded, “…you’re always right.”

It seemed to set things at least partly right, and she scratched at her cheeks, pushing aside little loose hair strands that had irritated her skin as she frowned.

“I may not be the best parent out there, but I’d _never_ corrupt my son!”

Was she insinuating something?

He felt she had when she scowled at him. “Unlike his father and yourself, I’d never let him get a tattoo.”

So the child was back, apparently. He could deal with it. Abby seemed to need ‘baby steps’ before she fully grew out of this, but he was patient.

He fought the urge to roll his eyes, “Abby, I-”

“Just what were you thinking, Nines?!?” She pushed a little harder on the gas pedal, “I thought you were on _my_ side and understood me!!”

He was, but he wasn’t. He didn’t know how to tell her that whatever side he was on, it was labeled as ‘let Gavin be a teenager and learn from his mistakes’. Again, how does one say that to a concerned parent who obviously has some right over their child’s future being shaped?

He probably should have left it alone, so he did.

Nines stared at her in silence, his LED light spinning blue, red, yellow, red, yellow.

Peering at it long enough to give it a quick study, Abby leaned to the right and whispered to him, “Are you a deviant?”

It was a drastic topic change, but one he knew they couldn’t exactly leapfrog over for much longer. It was time to address the elephant in the room, no matter how much he didn’t want to do it.

Facing her with sincerity in his eyes, he nodded once, “I am, yes.”

She let out a long sigh, but it didn’t seem to fit into the category of worried or troubled. “I thought so…that’s good, Nines.”

It was??

He turned to her, mildly confused, “I thought you’d find that notion disturbing.”

Apparently, he’d been wrong. She merely gave a half-shrug while offering him a small smile, “It’s not the worst thing in the world,” she snickered, “hell, it even makes you a lot more relatable.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” she tapped a hand on her steering wheel, “talking to a machine all day long would’ve driven me way more insane than I already naturally am.”

It didn’t take too long before they both found themselves laughing at that statement. Abby laughed the hardest, and soon, she was in tears again, though they were tears of happiness…

Nines looked out the window once more, and he knew exactly where they were headed. Abby didn’t need to say anything, and she only offered apologetic looks when the heavy raindrops that had once splattered on the windshield eased off and died down to a light drizzle.

She’d still kept the windshield wipers on as she whispered out to him, “I’m sorry for the way I treated you.”

He had to give her those ‘adult points’ back, then.

“No apologies necessary, Abby,” he gave her a warm smile, “we’re friends, right?”

She smiled back, “Friends.”

They’d driven in silence for almost ten minutes before Nines sensed something was heavy on Abby’s mind. One of her hands went to tug and pull at her earlobe again, and Nines knew she was nervous as she worried about something. Naturally, he would’ve left it alone, given how they already went through enough ‘stress’, but he was far too invested and involved not to care now.

“What’s wrong?” He spoke in a gentle tone, and she glanced at him and began forming her next statement, then winced, swallowed, and finally shook her head.

“F-forget it, Nines.”

That wasn’t even an option at this point.

He gently pressed a hand on her forearm, “Abby,” he pressed out softly, “please talk to me.”

She let out a heated puff of air as she counted to three in small whispers, then shut her eyes tightly as she nodded once.

“You…you love my son, right?”

He tilted his head curiously at her, “Of course I do-”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Giving her a weary glance, Nines hoped she wasn’t going to ask what he feared was on the tip of her tongue. As a mother, she had every right in the world to ask whatever she wanted when it came to her son, but it was a matter of the fact that Nines didn’t feel prepared to answer her.

He wasn’t sure just what Gavin had told her in his absence, but he trusted his young lover not to disclose all their experiences and memories, at the very least. He was still a very private individual, and he hoped Gavin held enough respect for that.

However, if Gavin hadn’t said anything, Nines was completely positive that either Clarissa or Logan had said something for sure. Even if they hadn’t, the signs were there…Abby would have to be a fool not to notice how they felt for each other by now.

Trying to test the waters, he whispered lightly, “You know how much I care for Gavin, right?”

Abby only nodded, “Yes, but do you…” she winced, “you know…?”

She braced herself for his answer before she’d even asked her question, and she pressed a few fingers against her forehead as she closed her eyes and took in a sharp, long breath.

“Nines…do you…are you…ugh!!!”

It wasn’t easy for him, either, but he held onto his composure and control as she tugged at a few hair strands, and then her earlobe. The longer the silence went on, the more uncomfortable she was growing, and he could easily sense it in her body language.

Nearly an age had gone by before Abby opened her eyes as she continued to massage her temples and forehead. “Are you _in_ _love_ with Gavin, Nines?”

Somehow, hearing it out loud in the open seemed to make it worse. He didn’t think she would ever ask and phrase it like that, but who was he to deny and begrudge her an answer she deserved to hear?

She absolutely deserved to hear the truth. He wasn’t going to decide that _now_ was the best time to start lying when it came to matters of his feelings for Gavin. He could lie about minor details such as Gavin skipping school, but this was a much deeper issue.

Outside, the rain had picked up once again, and it smashed down hard on the pavement and the cars along the streets. Everything and everyone were beyond soaked, and Nines figured he wouldn’t mind a flood right about now.

Watching the rain beat down harder and harder around them, flooding the streets practically, Nines sighed, “Yes…I am.”

He expected her to scream, slap him (or possibly even punch him), but Abby Reed did neither of those things. She just cried silently while she wiped her eyes and struggled to keep her eyes on the road as she switched lanes and began exiting the freeway.

She sniffed, “I uh…” she let out a pained whimper that she covered up quickly, “I appreciate y-your honesty, Nines.”

Well then.

This was rather unexpected, and he turned to gape at her, almost expecting this too good to be true. She was going to yell at him soon, right?

Call up CyberLife again?

Kick him out of the car? Run him over with it, too?

Try to kill him?!

Again, she merely looked ahead at the wet roads as they drove on in silence. He could hear her swallowing down more tears, and her shoulder shook a few times before they caved in and she slumped forward against her steering wheel.

He really felt badly for her. Abby Reed was looking for love, companionship, trust, loyalty, and honesty. While he had only been able to provide half of those for her, he wasn’t going to lie to her and promise her that he loved her when he didn’t beyond friendship. He knew that wasn’t what she wanted from him, but he hoped she would find some sort of comfort and sincerity in it anyway.

“Abby,” he smiled gently at her, waiting until she’d turned and stared at him, though she didn’t make eye contact.

“—you know I love you as well, right?”

The pained woman wiped her cheeks as she scoffed, “I know you do, but as a friend…”

His mouth snapped shut and he just nodded. It seemed as if the psychologist in her had chosen this moment now to speak up and read between the lines perfectly.

She rolled her eyes and whimpered at the ceiling, “Can’t believe I’ve been ‘friend zoned’ by an android!! Just my luck!!”

He swallowed thickly, “I’m not sure I understand what that means—”

She leapt at him immediately, “Have you had sex with my son?!?!”

Gaping at her in horror, he frowned, “So glad you found your confidence and courage again, Abby…”

“Nines! I meant it!” She pointed a finger into his nose, practically, “I’m very open-minded and accepting-hell, my cousin is a wonderful young woman, even though she recently got married for the second time to her second wife, but I love her anyway!!”

Nines quirked an eyebrow, but didn’t interrupt.

“Answer me!!” Her screeching was practically deafening, “You tell me the truth, Nines! Have you or have you not touched my son in any inappropriate way?!?”

Since he’d been welcomed as a part of the Reed family, Nines had experienced many ‘firsts’. He’d fallen in love for the first time ever, had sex for the first time ever, had to lie and cheat for the first time ever, and had to understand what being caught in a dilemma was for the first time ever. And it didn’t feel good at all.

He’d already lied plenty of times to Abby, he knew that, but compared to the previous lies he’d fed her, this one was going to be the worst, and by far the trickiest. If he told her that he had indeed not only touched Gavin, but had sex with him, he knew she was going to explode and likely turn the car around and take him back to CyberLife in shackles. She had every right to, of course.

But he _loved_ Gavin and wanted to be with him for as long as possible. What they chose to do as a couple was their own business, as far as he was concerned.

Nines had to wonder when he’d taken a page out of Allen Reed’s book, but he figured it didn’t feel too bad thinking and taking up after the man. Some things were better left not talked about and discussed, and he knew he was going to keep Gavin safe. That was all that mattered to him, as far as he was concerned.

On the other hand, this was her _child_. Gavin was going to be a part of her for the rest of their lives, and lying suddenly felt so…wrong…

He cursed at himself internally for finally deciding to grow a conscience.

“Nines?”

Her gentle voice snapped him out of his reverie, and he took one look deeply into her eyes. When he gazed into them, he saw pain, confusion, and heart break. It was then that Nines knew what he had to do.

He had to lie.

Even his software backed this up, and Nines was shocked to see it wavering in the bottom left-hand corner of his vision as it flashed in thick, capital letters.

**BEST OPTION/METHOD TO PROCEED: FABRICATION  
SUCCESS RATE: 99.99%**

He’d weighed the advantages and disadvantages, and after a few more seconds of internal deliberation, he’d made up his mind.

Lying was the better option, for everyone’s sake involved. After all, the damage was already done, and Nines didn’t like living or thinking in the past. The present and the future contained Gavin, and that was where he wanted to be the most.

Abby Reed wasn’t going to be able to handle the truth well, and he reminded himself that sometimes in order to protect people he really cared about, he’d have to offer a white lie if it was for their best interest in the long run. Sure, that didn’t help him feel great about doing it in the first place, but the rewards he’d reap down the road and the conflicts he could avoid now made it seem like the lesser of two evils.

Abby sat up, then, clearly having had enough of the heavy silence.

“Nines, it’s a simple question!!” She clawed at her steering wheel again, “Have you or have you not touched my son?!”

No more hesitation; he was making it worse and far more suspicious than it needed to be.

Just answer.

He clasped his hand around Abby’s upon her steering wheel as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“No, I have not.”

Silence met his ears for a long time.

He’d lied to her, but for some reason, Nines felt and knew he’d made the right decision. Abby Reed’s heart was very fragile, and there was no way on Earth she was going to be able to handle the truth until Gavin was much older, possibly…

The woman let out a strained sigh that didn’t seem to be one of relief or comfort. She just grunted as she shook her head and made a slow turn.

“I hope you’re not lying to me, Nines—” she slowed down as they grew close to the street before Gavin’s high school.

“—because if I find out that you so much as even touched a single hair strand on that boy’s head, I’ll tear you apart with my own hands.”

Nines held up both hands as he leaned away from her, “I understand.”

Staring with a determined expression at the rooftop of the school they were approaching, Abby pressed out softly, “I’m not one to discourage what’s meant to be between two people…call it ‘fate’…” her eyes turned to him for a brief second, and then she peered out the window again, “…and I feel I’ve already sheltered Gavin from the world enough. He needs to be a teenager, enjoy his life, and he has to do what he feels is right for him, and what he enjoys the most.”

Where Gavin Reed had grown, his mother had as well, only later in her life. Perhaps she had hidden this side of her all along, but it was refreshing and lovely to see, now. Nines smiled at her in an understanding way while he patiently and carefully listened to her.

She carried on with a calmer tone of voice, “I don’t know if I can ever agree with you two honestly being t-t-together…” she shivered, “I mean, I support any relationship, but I don’t know much about how you two expect this to work, and I don’t know if I agree with it fully…but...” her voice broke down in a half-sob before she straightened herself out.

“I love my son, no matter what,” the woman said with great strength and sincerity in her voice, “no matter what he does or whatever lifestyle he picks for himself, as long as he is happy, I’ll be fully supporting him all the way.”

He went to interrupt her with a word or two of gratitude, but she held a finger against his lips in a silent warning that she wasn’t through yet.

“But as open-minded as I am, I’m also a law-abiding citizen!!” She then glared at him, her finger still upon his lips, “and there is no way I’m going to allow you to do anything to my son until he turns sixteen!!”

Swallowing thickly, Nines could only nod, “Alright, Abby.”

“I mean it, Nines!!” She scowled viciously at him, “ _Nothing-_ I repeat- _nothing_ happens until Gavin turns sixteen!! After that, I really don’t see any issue with him being with someone who clearly cares about him!”

“I uh-”

“Understood, Nines?!?!”

He paused, which she didn’t like.

Turning into the parking lot of the school, she slammed on the breaks as she faced him, while her cheeks grew beyond red, “UNDERSTOOD?!?”

“Understood, Abby.”

“Damn right.” She unbuckled her seatbelt once they were a few feet away from the back doors of the school, and she leaned back in her seat as she surveyed the parking lot for some time. The rain had grown a little steadier, and it seemed that it was going to stop in a short amount of time.

Hopefully this time for good…

Nines was staring out his side of the window silently in awe at the aftermath of the rain, when he heard Abby shift in her seat. She slowly straightened her posture out as she squinted through the rain at something.

He wasn’t sure what she was looking at, but whatever it was, it seemed rather…unpleasant to her. She turned her nose up as if she’d smelled something foul and horrible, and she snarled as she slammed a hand over the steering wheel. Her car horn blared off in the parking lot, and it caught the attention of a few teenagers lingering around in their own vehicles.

Nines gently pulled her hand away from the horn, but she then hooked and wrapped her hand around his and gripped it so tightly he was certain she was intending to harm him…no…she wasn’t…

A few other students walked around, and soon, the bells rang loudly, signaling that classes were over for the day, which meant that Gavin was going to be out, soon…

Nines couldn’t understand why this notion didn’t make Abby feel happy or excited, and he looked in her direction, trying to figure out what she was staring so intently at that had caused her to now wheeze and breathe with difficulty.

When he looked out the window ahead by the double-doors of the school, he froze.

Allen Reed was smoking a cigarette by one of the doors as he peered every-so-often inside the school.

He now understood why she was so afraid and uptight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously though, one of the MOST conflicting chapters I've EVER freakin' written. I'm kind of pissed I had to go back and change this at the last minute, but I originally was going to have Nines come clean about his sexual relationship with Gavin when Abby asked. BUT, at least Abby is kind of growing up, and I hope this answers any 'is Abby homophobic?' questions. She's honestly NOT because she mentioned her cousin is a lesbian, which kind of helps her be more accepting, but she still has issues LOOOOOOOOOOL
> 
> I reviewed my original script/draft a billion times, and I changed it at the last freakin' minute 😒😑  
> *Sigh*  
> I don't know. I just feel this somehow works better-not for the underage relationship agenda; but it's honestly because Abby wouldn't be able to handle it at all, and would likely create MORE drama.
> 
> Speaking of tea, though, Allen would love to offer ya'll some *nervously sweats* 🤯👀😲🙄


	26. Kings and Queens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is getting intense my mans O.o That's all I can tell you guys O.o

The high school loomed large and dark above them, resembling a strange, mystical, mysterious haunted house beneath the grey-dark rainclouds that were brushing and being blown away by the warm summer breeze. The air was heavy, damp, smoggy, and it seemed to create a foreboding, ominous sense of ‘doom’ about the atmosphere and setting.

Thankfully, the rain had died down, and a lot of teenagers soon began spilling out of the doors of the high school once the final bell had gone off to end the school day.

As many teenagers flew out, smoke and laughter flew about in the air while gas from exhaust pipes of cars blew about. Engines turned on, cigarettes were lit, and screams of excitement and joy rang high and loud. It all seemed fine…except it wasn’t.

Nines felt it more than Abby, and all his senses were on the alert and high while he carefully studied the woman next to him in the car.

Abby Reed began hyperventilating as she held onto the armrests of her seat. One of her hands then tugged at her loose seatbelt strap that was hanging to the side of the seat, and she yanked it as if it had been her lifeboat in the middle of a large, wide, open ocean.

Her fingernails scraped against it, and it caused high-pitched scratching noises that should’ve discomforted Nines and annoyed him, but seeing and feeling the state she was stuck in, he pushed aside how he felt, and was able to identify fully with her.

Empathy. He really had more of it than any other human.

Her chest rose and fell, and she whimpered as her eyes grew wide. A look of genuine fear crossed her features as she studied Allen Reed standing a few feet away from the doors that constantly opened and closed as more teenagers flew out of the high school. He really seemed to be waiting for someone, and Nines assumed it was his own son. But if Allen Reed didn’t have full custody, why was he here??

“Wh-w-why…why is h-h-he…!” Abby had merely voiced his internal thoughts and musings, and he looked back over at her for a second before choosing to regard her ex-husband outside by the school doors.

Nines stared out ahead and watched as Allen Reed smoked a cigarette while waiting for his son to emerge from the school. He was wearing a black ‘Ramones’ band shirt, torn, paint-stained black jeans, black combat boots, and overtop of that all, he wore a dark, long trench coat. Had he not been a father of one of the students attending the high school, he really would’ve seemed more out of place and almost menacing in every horrible way. He looked like a foreboding enemy or even a bully, and Nines had to constantly wonder why he couldn’t select any other form of dress.

Still, that didn’t prevent Abby from having nearly a full-blown panic attack the longer she stared at him.

One of her hands flew to the side, and she gripped Nines’ uniform sleeve so tightly that the android was sure she would’ve torn it up if he yanked his hand away from hers. But he didn’t, and he simply allowed her to weave and wind her fingers around his as she panicked and breathed quickly.

“Wh-what’s he d-doing h-here?!” The question had finally been let out, and it was one Nines had been bouncing around in his mind as well for far too long.

It felt so bad to him to even wonder such a thing; this was Gavin’s _father_. Of course he had a right to be involved in his son’s life, but had both Abby and Nines grown so accustomed to thinking of Allen Reed as a nonentity that the mere sight of him in the flesh-raw and tangible-abhorred and disgusted them that much?

Surely not…

As far as he knew (unless things had changed so drastically), Allen Reed wasn’t typically supposed to pick Gavin up from school. The teenager was to head home on the Fridays he had to see his father, and then, roughly after 6:30 PM earliest was when Allen would come to get him…

His presence at the school indicated that something was terribly wrong, and Nines didn’t know what it was, but he knew it had something to do with Gavin, for sure.

Perhaps the school Principal, Mr. Baxter had expelled Gavin??

Was Gavin fighting with students? Had he skipped more classes than he should’ve??

He almost slapped himself.

Worrying and pondering about the reasons could be endless, but more importantly; they were a huge waste of time. Sitting around in the car and thinking about the possibilities of what was going on would only be their undoing. They had to do something, and he was willing to take the initiative.

Holding onto Abby’s hand tightly, he opened his door, ready to step out, when she hissed and yanked his hand back roughly.

“No! Don’t!!” He saw pain in her eyes, and she gasped and held back a broken sob, “I d-don’t want to face him!”

He sighed, “How long has it been since you saw him?”

“C-coming up on f-f-four years…” she stammered out as she shook and trembled.

Nines nodded, leaning close to her while she kept her eyes on her ex-husband, “Abby…,” he didn’t want to push the obviously emotionally-wrecked woman, but if there was one person she had to face before she could learn how to mend her relationship with her son, it was her ex-husband.

Everything had happened the way it did only because Abby refused to accept truths, reality, and because she thought that avoiding issues and sweeping them under the carpet was going to solve her problems.

Big, big mistake.

“…you have to face him sometime,” the android explained as he turned and stared at Allen peeking inside the school doors and then tugging on his ponytail impatiently.

Abby shook her head, “N-no! D-don’t want t-to!”

He scowled at her, “You must take this seriously, Abby!” Of course, he’d known she’d refuse it. It was kind of predictable, and to be fair, Nines figured that had he been in her shoes, he’d react in a similar way. But that didn’t mean she could avoid it…this was for her own son’s good.

Not giving up on it, Nines motioned to the side near the window, “Abby, you have to accept that there will be many things in this world that you’re going to have to do that you may not want to, but they’re all for Gavin’s sake!”

She wouldn’t budge. “I c-can’t!!”

He resisted the urge to face-palm. “Look, Abby,” his voice was stern at first, which caused the woman to close her eyes in fear. The last thing Nines wanted was for her to be frightened of him, too. He understood to some degree how it felt to be scared of something, or at least to be anxious…he felt like that still, especially after not having seen Gavin in so long. There was no telling how the teenager was going to react to seeing him, as Nines held the assumption that Gavin was under the impression that Nines had abandoned him for sure.

Holding onto those negative thoughts and assertions wasn’t healthy, however, and that was the point he was trying to get across to Abby. She no doubt felt that her ex-husband was out to get her, perhaps, or at the very least-possibly here to take their son away. But still, she had to head out and talk to the man.

What good were thoughts and suspicious assertions just spinning around in someone’s head all day long? It was enough to drive anyone crazy!

“You can’t be stubborn forever, Abby,” he stated bluntly as he felt her hand tighten around his even more than previously, “for the sake of yourself, you have to get through this!”

She cried out in despair, “Gavin’s in t-trouble I think! There’s no other w-way he’d b-be here!!”

_“I know…I know that’s why Allen’s here, Abby, but it’s now even better that you realized it for yourself.”_

“Shh…” He tried soothing her and placating her, but all she did was tighten her death-grip on his hand once more before letting go. His hand fell down to his side, and she held hers over her chest on her heart. Nines imagined it was racing, but he couldn’t identify at all with that feeling. He knew he felt badly for the woman, though; she really was afraid for her life.

Truthfully, he was also afraid. After all, he wasn’t made out of stone.

He was afraid of Gavin’s reaction, rejection, and the boy hating him. He was afraid of Allen getting violent or somehow calling lawyers and arranging to take the teenager away from them both.

But mostly, Nines was afraid of himself.

He hadn’t seen Gavin in a long time, and he wasn’t sure what he was going to say at all to the teenager. Rehearsing some sort of ‘script’ wasn’t going to cut it; he’d been the one unable to come clean and disclose his true feelings to Gavin, and the teenager had every right to refuse to see him ever again.

Glancing over at Abby for a moment, Nines shook his head.

_“We’ve both messed up big time here, Abby…”_

As if somehow hearing his thoughts, she looked back and forth between Nines, her side of the window, at Allen, back at Nines, and at then Allen once more. Letting out a slow, long cry of anguish, she closed her eyes and unlocked the doors.

“Fuck it!”

He watched her fly out of her seat and stumble on the pavement, her high heels clicking as she merely leaned against the car once she’d gently closed the door. She was breathing heavily still, and even though the fresh air was around her now, it hardly did anything in terms of comforting her.

Nines stepped out of the vehicle next, never taking his eyes off Abby. There was no telling how she would react, as he’d learned that whenever humans were emotionally distraught, they were highly unpredictable. It was a lot wiser to stay back and offer support in his presence as he observed her clasping her hands over her mouth as she breathed in and out in sharp, little breaths.

Allen Reed hadn’t noticed them; he was too busy waiting for his son to emerge from the school.

Nines tilted his head at him, taking all of Allen Reed into his sights properly for once. In the rain and moisture, the man’s hair seemed to frizzle out, even though it was neatly tied back in a ponytail the same way it was when they’d first seen him at his house. His clothes seemed to be freshly ironed, but whoever had done it obviously wasn’t too skilled at ironing, and his clothing appeared ‘tight’ in some areas and still had wrinkles about it.

Allen could use a shave, Nines figured; his goatee had grown a bit longer since he’d last seen the man, and the hairs were kind of ‘broken’ as they bent and twisted in odd directions and angles. He had bags under his eyes, his skin was pale, his fingertips were slightly yellowed from the cigarette, but there were definitely a few drops of paint also covering his hands here and there…

Nines supposed Allen Reed could use a decent, healthy meal, a week of solid sleep, and at least a month-long vacation away from everything and everyone else. He seemed stressed, though he hid it well as he looked down at the ground, scraping his boots along the pavement while sighing softly.

Nines felt his nose turning up at the sight of the man. Allen Reed seemed so…alone? Pathetic?

No…he seemed ‘human’.

Allen Reed wasn’t some horrible, evil monster Abby sometimes made him out to be, and he certainly wasn’t Nines’ worst enemy or competition when it came to Gavin and his future. He was only his father.

Feeling horribly for underestimating and misunderstanding the man, Nines had to take some time to hang his head down low as he felt guilt sweeping over him. Why had he allowed circumstances and situations to pull him into some biased, misinformed hatred for the man when he hadn’t done anything to offend Nines personally?

Perhaps he was more ‘human’ than he’d like to be…too often he let his emotions guide him into things, lately, but he vowed to cease and desist now. If he was going to be a part of Gavin’s life, he had to accept the fact that Allen Reed was just flesh and blood; not some horrible creature from hell.

Shaking out of his inner thoughts and musings, he remembered why they were all gathered here, then: Gavin.

Not wanting his mind to wander far from the topic at hand, Nines walked towards the other side of the car where Abby was currently having panicked, labored breaths, but she held onto him when his chest bumped into her back.

“Nines!” Her fingers clasped onto his shoulders tightly, but he was patient. He allowed her to hang onto him as he pressed a hand on her lower back while she closed her eyes. He soon realized he’d been guiding her away from the car, and he spun her around to face the school.

Her eyes were still shut tightly, but she permitted him to lead her a few steps forward until she opened her eyes and glared ahead at Allen.

“I want to see my son…”

Nines held onto her tightly, “You will, just—”

Abby suddenly found her inner strength and courage. He didn’t understand what had happened to instill it within her, but she didn’t need him guiding her forward any longer. She pushed away from him, extending a hand out as she found her balance and took long, measured, and determined steps forward.

Perhaps it was the fact that she remembered Gavin, perhaps she wanted to lash out at Allen, or perhaps both…hell, maybe it was neither of them, and Nines was willing to accept that.

What made him feel a small sense of pride, however, was the fact that Abby no longer bundled herself up to his chest and side as if she wanted to hide. In fact, it was the opposite, now.

Nines watched in awe as she held her head high up, straightened her posture, clenched her fists by her side, and her long coat’s back and hem swished and blew about in the gentle wind. Her highlighted hair flowed behind, and the scent of her fruity shampoo was what his nose followed until they were no more than a couple of steps away from Allen Reed.

Abby clenched her fists tightly as she stared at her ex-husband up and down with a dark scowl. The man hadn’t noticed them behind his back while pressing a hand on the door of the school, but he turned around when Abby cleared her throat.

Once Allen Reed faced them, he glared at Nines first, then over at Abby. He seemed bored, lazy, and tired. More importantly, it appeared as if he was able to control his emotions a lot better than Abby could.

Nines knew his heartrate was flying through the roof, and he was definitely beginning to perspire beneath his dark trench coat. Still, he managed to stand tall, and he stuck out his chin as if it were an extra appendage pointing at them both in an accusatory, offensive manner.

“I knew I’d be seeing _you_ again,” he pointed over at Nines and then wagged the same index finger at Abby.

“…Are you here to tell me that you two are gettin’ hitched or somethin’?” He laughed at his own joke as he placed one of his hands in the pocket of his trench coat. Since they were now closer to the man, Allen tossed his hair that was back up in a messy ponytail again over his shoulders, and Nines noticed bits of paint, dirt, wood dust, and other strange things clinging onto his hair strands.

Abby must’ve noticed a few of these as well, and she sneered at him in distaste, “What’re you doing here, Allen?”

Her question caused him to snort rudely, “I could ask _you_ the same thing, Abby.”

She growled as she pointed a finger up at him, “Don’t you deflect! Answer my damn question!!”

Too quickly, this was turning into one big disaster. Nines knew it wouldn’t be too long before they both started screaming at each other. He scanned the high school hurriedly, taking note that Gavin wasn’t too far away…and he was definitely depressed.

The teenager was lingering in the halls by some lockers, but before he could focus on obtaining more information from his scanning, he was shaken and interrupted out of it by the increasing volume of the voices of Allen and Abby Reed.

Digging her fingers into her coat by her side, Abby hissed thinly, “You look like some punk dressed like that, Allen!”

The man shook his head while a grin formed on his face, “And I was just gonna say you look good in your new get-up, Abby…” he shook his head again while his eyes danced over her highlighted hair almost appreciatively of what he saw.

Looking back at the school, Nines felt worried for Gavin. He didn’t need to hear or see this, but there was a high chance he would, unfortunately.

As much as Nines wanted to intervene and interrupt the bickering of the adults, he felt and knew that this was actually ‘therapeutic’ and cathartic, especially for Abby. She needed to talk to her ex-husband while she had the chance, before her sense of courage and conviction ran out.

Still, the android wished the ad hominem usage would stop. This wasn’t healthy; it was immature. He expected some of it to be thrown out when Abby first laid her eyes on Allen, but he hoped that the rest of the ‘conversation’ wouldn’t involve this kind of talk.

Growing impatient, Abby huffed while her hand reached up to tug on her earlobe. She must’ve been self-aware at that point specifically, and she stopped herself before she could wrap her fingers around her flesh. She flung her hand back down to rest at her side, and Allen snorted at it while studying her fingers and hand intently.

“I’m going to ask you again, Allen,” she spat with venom and hatred, “what the hell are you doing here?”

Allen threw a hand into the air, and then pushed loose strands of his hair back, “Naturally I’m gonna be worried when the Principal of the school rings me up and tells me that Gavin’s fighting other boys in his class, Abby…”

Oh dear…

Was Gavin hurt?!

“And how’s that _any_ of your business?!”

He snorted, “Are you deaf? I just said his Principal called _me_!”

Abby fumbled around into her purse for a moment, and she yanked out her cellphone. Her ex-husband merely scoffed as he shifted from foot-to-foot.

“What’re you doin’ now?”

Her purse strap fell from her shoulder, and she threw it back furiously a few times when it got caught in her hair. “I’m checking my stupid phone!!”

Allen only sighed, “Abby…”

“Let me check!!”

Not wanting to listen to more of her screeching, Nines helped hold her purse for her while she yanked out her cellphone. Again, Allen merely sneered and rolled his eyes, but didn’t comment further on anything. He finished with his cigarette, throwing it down to the ground as he crushed it beneath the heel of his boot a bit rougher than Nines expected him to.

After going through her phone for a minute, Abby frowned up at her ex. “He did call me too, but I missed the call…” She looked dejectedly at Nines.

“And yet _I’m_ somehow the irresponsible parent, huh?” Allen sneered cruelly at her, and she stomped a foot down.

Nines was surprised her heel hadn’t snapped off, but before they could all continue bickering, the doors behind them opened.

Shoes started scraping along the pavement quickly, but then came to an abrupt halt when they were no more than two feet away from them. They all turned and stared at Gavin Reed, who was gaping up between them all slowly.

The boy seemed frozen for a moment, and his eyes widened dramatically. It was as if he had seen ghosts…

Nines was the first to notice that Gavin had a fresh bruise forming on the lower half of his left cheek. His father took note of it next, and he growled as he grabbed his son’s face in a hand, turning it to face him roughly and forcefully.

His mother gasped in fear, “Gavin???”

“The hell is this shit, son?”

Gavin gaped at them all, his jaw quivering before it fell open. He dropped his black schoolbag a few seconds later as they all waited patiently and silently for him to explain himself. His cheeks began turning pink, and a little bit of sweat formed on his forehead as he stood beneath the scrutiny and menacing glares of both his parents.

Nines was the only one there who was offering Gavin looks of comfort, support, and kindness, and for a moment, the teenager’s eyes seemed to well up with tears when he really saw that Nines wasn’t a figment of his imagination.

He was there…

Gavin gasped, “Nines?” He sounded so relieved, and it made the android smile at him with genuine compassion and warmth. It ran between them, shining wonderfully, though Abby and Allen Reed didn’t seem to pay attention to it, as they were far too busy glaring at Gavin.

His father gave him a little shake, “Well? Talk!”

Nines glared at Allen before Abby screamed out, “Don’t touch my son like that!!”

She’d stolen the words right out of his mouth.

Allen glared at her, next, “Don’t you tell me how to treat my kid!”

“YOUR KID?!” her voice was shrill and horribly loud, then, “ _YOUR_ KID?!”

He took a step towards her, “You goin’ deaf again?”

She hadn’t backed down from him; she only drew closer as her stance was defensive and aggressive. “ _OUR_ KID!!!”

Soon, their voices were ringing loudly for the entire parking lot to hear, but thankfully, majority of the teenagers and other parents were long gone. Somehow, this made it more embarrassing to Gavin, apparently. The teenager made his way around his father, and he stood beside Nines. Peering down at the boy next to him, Nines felt him gently touch his hand, as if testing whether or not he was even real.

Everything seemed beyond insane, now, and it was _still_ escalating.

Allen and Abby were caught in a screaming match, while Nines and Gavin stood a few steps away, slowly working their hands and fingers against each other, and soon, they were holding onto each other while the other adults argued.

Strange how neither Allen nor Abby noticed their son clinging onto the android’s hand intimately and desperately…

The gentle summer breezes did little to help anyone relax or calm down; Abby and Allen ignored the lovely weather, the birds flying high above them, looming in the trees as they chirped and whispered their own secrets between each other, and they ignored Gavin and Nines, especially.

It seemed as if they only wanted to insult each other…

A screaming match turned into a weird competition suddenly; Abby yelled loudly, and Allen screamed even louder than she had. Perhaps the person who screamed the loudest was right?

It wasn’t long before curse words flew from their mouths, then. Nines began cringing at some of the things Abby was saying, but he stroked Gavin’s fingers tenderly, hoping the teenager wasn’t as affected by it as he appeared he wasn’t…

But he likely was.

“I can’t believe I married _you_ ,” Abby scoffed as she glared at her ex-husband from head-to-toe in a disapproving manner. “You’re repulsive, Allen.”

The man merely raised an eyebrow as a smirk worked its way along his face. “That’s not what you said to me on our wedding night, Abby…” This statement was followed by a licentious wink, and then Allen dug into his pockets for a fresh cigarette. He lit it while training his eyes on Abby the entire time.

The man blew out a puff of smoke while Abby was trying to recover from what he said.

Allen appeared slightly menacing as the tobacco moved around his head and flew upwards into the cloudy skies, “In fact,” he snickered as he focused on his ex-wife’s chest a little too long for comfort, “if you give me about ten minutes, I’m willin’ to bet that I can change your mind about me for sure…”

Gavin let out a choked noise, while Abby’s cheeks grew red. She looked like she was ready to slap the hell out of her ex-husband, but all she did instead was compose herself. She seemed like she was mentally and silently counting to three while her eyes closed, and then she opened them once more to face her ex when she was ready to.

“Allen,” she bit out harshly, “that was in the god damn past; this is the present, now!”

He nodded, “Finally we agree on somethin’.”

She held out a hand and gestured at Gavin, “I’m here because I’m concerned for our son’s future!!”

He let out a sarcastic ‘ooooh’, “Wowie,” he scoffed, “looks like we’re on the same team!!”

Dear god...

Didn’t they realize that this wasn’t helping anyone or anything?! Gavin held tighter onto his hand, and Nines heard him groan in dismay and anguish.

Had his parents been paying more attention to him, they would’ve heard it, too.

“Gavin gets his aggressive behavior from _your_ side of the family!!” Abby roared as she shook her head and grabbed her purse tightly, swinging it onto her opposite shoulder.

Her ex merely rolled his eyes while he scratched at his beard, “And he gets his shitty attitude from _you._ Guess that makes us even or some shit?”

She growled lightly, “Allen! You sarcastic bas—”

“Can you _both_ just stop?!” Nines screamed out suddenly, not aware that he’d lost his sense of control and calm again in less than a day’s time. He really didn’t care what they thought of each other or how long they wanted to argue, but he was tired of it all affecting Gavin.

If they chose to remain selfish and blind, that was on them, but as long as he was around, he wasn’t going to stand by idly and allow them to keep hurting Gavin relentlessly.

“Don’t you two know any better than to argue in front of your own son?!” He threw out at them while Gavin held a hand up, gently caressing his back after he’d spoken up.

The teenager’s parents sputtered and stammered all kinds of excuses, but Nines didn’t want to hear it. Perhaps whenever they were ready to be ‘mature’ and ‘adult’ enough to take care of Gavin, that was when they could all sit down and talk. But now wasn’t the right time for it, and he grabbed a hold of Gavin’s hand tightly.

“You two can stay here and argue all you like, but Gavin and I are headed back home.”

Allen growled as he reached forward and wrapped a hand around his son’s shoulder. “You can’t just abduct my kid in the middle of nowhere, you lunatic android!!”

Abby followed his lead; she also stepped up and aggressively grabbed a hold of Gavin’s other arm. She glared at Nines, and then her ex-husband, “I have full custody! Let go!”

Allen snarled at her, and it sounded horribly vicious, “I’m his parent, too!”

“For crying out loud, Allen!” She sighed while trying to tug Gavin away from Nines, who only held him tighter in response and retaliation.

“…No one’s denying the fact that you are capable of impregnating a woman!”

He almost laughed at her statement, then, “Well clearly _you_ were,” he winked at her, and it was rather lewd, “but I’m perfectly okay with showin’ you that I’ve still got it after all these years…”

She groaned in disgust, “As if, Allen!!”

“You still want me, Abby!” He yelled back confidently, as if it were a fact of life while his eyes fell down to capture the sight of her pink, plump lips.

Gavin winced in repulsion as he listened on to their bickering and horrible forms of communication and conduct while they yanked him back and forth between themselves. Nines had eventually been shoved to the side while the parents of the young man he loved fought over him childishly. It really was a pathetic display, and Nines was shocked that none of the staff within the high school had popped out to inspect the commotion that was going on just right out their doors.

“Like I’d _ever_ be drunk enough to even dream of touching your hideous body!” Abby continued screaming away, hoping to get some kind of a rise out of her ex-husband.

He bit his lower lip, excitement flooding through him, “Last time I remember, alcohol wasn’t necessary to get ya goin’…”

She shrugged as if his words didn’t affect her, “Not enough alcohol in the world anyway, Allen.”

It seemed like the more she insulted him, the more Allen was amused and pleased.

Eyeing the way she was clinging desperately onto their son, he shook his head as he snorted, “Here we are in our old ‘back and forth’ dance…just like old times, ‘eh Abbs?”

Her eyes widened, and her grip tightened even more so on Gavin’s arm. “DON’T YOU _EVER_ CALL ME THAT AGAIN!!”

He laughed, “Ooooh, did I touch a nerve there, baby?”

They struggled and played a ‘tug-of-war’ with Gavin’s arm until the teenager had enough of it himself. He screamed as he yanked and shook his body out of their grasp. At the sound of his animalistic screams, his parents backed away in fright, taking many steps away from him.

Gavin held his head in his hands as he looked up at both his parents with tired, angry eyes. They seemed almost pink and bloodshot, the veins standing out drastically.

“ENOUGH!!” He yelled and moved backwards until he was close to Nines once again, “JUST LEAVE ME ALONE AND STOP FUCKIN’ ARGUIN’!!”

Both Abby and Allen tilted their heads at him as they hang back in fright and shock. Given how they regarded him, Nines assumed it was safe to suggest that this was the first time Gavin had unleashed his fury towards his parents.

“Gavin?” They also called out his name simultaneously, but their son merely shook his head as he grabbed onto Nines and swiped his schoolbag off the ground.

When had he thrown it down there? Nines had been so wrapped up in the screaming and fighting, that he even failed to notice the teenager slightly shaking and swaying as if he were some puppet cut off its strings, suddenly…

Nines frowned. He didn’t like that he’d missed something Gavin had done likely in frustration. Perhaps this was how his parents treated him, and that provided a decent and logical enough of reason for why Gavin had anger and attitude issues. But Nines vowed not to make the same mistakes Gavin’s parents did. From now on, all his focus and attention was on Gavin. He would give him 100%, and everything he had.

Allen held out a hand, as if trying to pet a rabid dog instead of his own son, “Gavin, don’t be ridiculous,” he spat out while turning his back on his ex-wife, “just come home with me for a while and—”

His son shoved his hand down and away from him while sticking his body right against Nines’ firmly, “I’m _not_ going home with _any_ of you…I just want to be with Nines, for now.”

Sliding his arm up along the android’s side, their hands eventually were drawn towards each other as if they held magnets within the palm of their hands that sought out their pull.

As they held hands, Abby blushed. Remembering his confession regarding his true feelings for Gavin earlier, Nines knew why she felt the way she did. He wondered if she was going to share the news with her ex-husband, but he didn’t have time to worry about that for now.

Strangely, Allen hadn’t reacted in any negative way in spite of his son holding hands with a ‘man’. Nines didn’t know why he’d expected a violent-explosive reaction from the man as he stared on while his son held Nines’ hand dearly.

Surely Allen didn’t know…did he?

“Gavin,” Allen stared at Nines for a second, then his eyes fell back to his son, “is this what you really want?”

The teenager looked up at Nines, and the android was careful not to make a face that gave away his true feelings. If Gavin was going to make a decision, it had to be his own, and without bias involved.

They all waited in silence until Gavin sniffed and nodded, “I’m sure; this is what I want, please.”

His parents exchanged solemn looks. There was no telling what else was going on in their minds, but Nines felt more relief coming forth from Allen as opposed to Abby. He supposed it was because she was within close proximity to him, but she shyly looked away from him when he tried meeting her eyes.

“Alright, son.” Allen nodded, taking a step backwards as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“I’m willing to respect your choice.” He finished his statement by giving Abby a single nod, though no one knew what it meant or symbolized except: ‘goodbye’.

Both Abby and Allen turned away, and they walked over toward their own cars in silence. Nines could hardly believe that was all it took. Truth be told, he hadn’t believed Abby or Allen when they’d intimated to him that they respected whatever choice their son wanted to make. He felt that they were merely telling him what he’d wanted to hear in hopes of shutting him up, but now he had the proof before his eyes.

The parents walked away and got in their cars, driving in opposite directions until they were completely out of sight. The birds replaced the sounds of their engines afterwards, and the other sounds of the city life and traffic passing by gradually died down the longer Nines and Gavin remained behind.

Nines didn’t want to move until Gavin was ready. He was going to wait for as long as that took. Thankfully however, it didn’t take forever.

Gavin eventually sighed as he loosened his hold on Nines’ hand. The android peered down at the boy clinging on to him, and he smiled. Gavin was a lot more at ease and comfortable, now, and it showed in his body posture.

His shoulders slouched a little, and he’d hung his head down as he shuffled his feet. His skin had turned to normal temperature, and he was breathing normally.

Eventually, he felt he was being watched, and he looked up at Nines with curious eyes.

“What?”

The android smirked playfully, “You’re still very short.”

Gavin snorted as he playfully and gently punched Nines in the chest, “Fuck off, Nines.”

Turning towards the bus stop, Nines gave his hand a little tug, “Come on.”

He heard the teenager following him, but he was lost in his own world of thoughts in a moment. As much as he’d wanted Gavin’s parents to talk things through and possibly work out their differences, he knew that was all silly and wishful thinking.

As Gavin had once stated, sometimes, it was far better going separate ways. He hadn’t always agreed with or even understood that statement, but as they stood side-by-side at the bus stop then, Nines fully came to terms with what that sentence meant, and all the other implications it brought along with it.

He didn’t like that it portrayed every negative, frightening thing that could happen between a loving couple who always planned on being together, but sometimes, ignoring reality could turn out to bring more nightmares than anything else. Reality may have been what a lot of people tried getting away from, but it should have been the thing they flew to when they were shrouded in darkness and delusional thoughts.

Oh well.

At least it had stopped raining and drizzling by the time their bus arrived out of the thin layer of fog that had fell upon the city that early evening.

At least they had this…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's tough to talk about Allen's mentality in this chapter and his psychological mindset, but I think he still 'loves' Abby as the mother of his child, but that's it. There's nothing romantic going on between them, and their love or romance won't be rekindled in this fic. There's a huge distinction between 'sex' and 'love', and it's fine for Allen to sexually 'want' Abby, but that's as far as I think it would honestly go, and he himself likely knows that, as well.
> 
> Plus, I feel like he was teasing her and toying with her out of revenge and being vindictive, more than likely. I'm not saying he doesn't want her sexually (it's obvious he does), but I think he was also teasing her and playing with her-which suggests that at one point, Abby did the same damn thing to him. (It lines up with how Abby is-we know she can try to be flirtatious or seductive to get what she wants from men)
> 
> I apologize if that will upset or hurt any of my readers who expected them to patch things up or wanted Nines to save their relationship, but this isn't something that can be resolved or 'cured'. It's better to let some things go and move on with dignity, which is what these two have to do. 
> 
> "It's better to have loved and lost than not have loved at all."


	27. Once More, With Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: Mild sexual content that ALMOST wanders into dubious consent...ALMOST!*

 

He’d never taken a bus anywhere. Of course, he’d never thought an opportunity in his entire creation would come for him to do so, but ever since Nines had entered Gavin Reed’s life, he should’ve known that he’d experience many interesting things for the first time ever.

Gavin paid for their bus ride with the loose change he had, the coins clinking as they fell into the coin meter at the front of the bus as a weary bus driver waved and welcomed them in as they entered the large city bus.

Nines let the boy lead him to two seats in the far back end of the bus, and he held onto Gavin’s schoolbag tightly in his hands while the boy leaned his head against his shoulder.

The bus was pretty empty when they got on it, and it remained that way until they’d driven past the high school.

While Gavin took a little nap on his shoulder, Nines dove deeper within his own thoughts. He recalled that Abby had stated that Gavin had been getting into a lot of trouble…this swam to the forefront of his mind, then, and he gazed down at the dark brown mop of hair inches away from tickling the tip of his nose.

He whispered cautiously as he peeked down at his young lover, “Gavin?”

It didn’t get the teenager’s attention, however.

Nines sighed. As much as he didn’t want to bother Gavin about this, he knew they had to have this conversation before they got back home. He desired to leave it alone, but something about the way that Abby seemed almost desperate and beyond fear had prodded him to inquire about the subject right now.

As much of a worrier and an exaggerator Abby was at times, the gravity and weight of the situation at hand seemed to be a lot deeper than Gavin merely smoking and drinking. He remembered Abby’s wide-eyed look of fear…something worse was brewing behind the scenes, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

He’d been so swept up in the wonderful emotions that came with being reunited with Gavin after so long that he’d momentarily abandoned why he was even here to begin with. If Abby hadn’t been frightened and worried about something in regards to Gavin, Nines knew he’d still be standing behind thick glass in the CyberLife shop right now. He wasn’t allowed to enjoy and let loose in the beautiful sensations that came with being in love with Gavin Reed…no, not yet. There was still work to be done, and as much as he’d wanted to confess everything to the teenager sitting next to him, he knew it wasn’t the opportune moment.

Nines leaned a hand over and gently shook Gavin’s shoulder, “Gavin, sit up for a moment.”

The boy opened an eye and stared at him, “Hmm?”

“Shh,” Nines offered him a small half-smile, “Sit up, I need to ask you something.”

Grumbling, Gavin leaned away, and he wiped both eyes with his palms before yawning. When he was a little more alert, his eyes grew large as he emitted a small gasp.

Nines quirked an eyebrow at him when he leaned in and gently cupped his chin.

“Oh my shit…you’re really here?!”

Nines glared at him, “Yes, I believe I am.”

The boy nodded at him, and a dopey, goofy expression crossed his features. Immediately, Nines felt something was terribly wrong. Gavin was hardly able to maintain a steady form of eye contact with him for long without spacing out or making it so that his eyes darted around the bus. He seemed jumpy, energetic, and then melancholic in seconds. His behavior was beyond erratic and bizarre, and Nines didn’t have to be a doctor to determine something was horribly wrong.

Was the boy high? Was he drunk?!

The horrible thoughts came to him unbridled and unbeckoned. He had no way of stopping them, but Nines began fearing the worst when he looked into Gavin’s eyes.

The teenager seemed high-strung, suddenly. His pupils were large and dilated, and he could barely maintain eye contact. His head swayed about every time the bus moved, and his jaw dropped open slightly. It was a shock he hadn’t started drooling, but Nines supposed it was possibly only a matter of time before that happened, too.

Nines held onto his cheeks in both hands, staring intently at him. He gave him one firm shake, “Gavin?!”

The boy’s head lolled to the side again, and he giggled at something out the window. “Loooook!” He pointed at nothing, and Nines gasped.

Scanning him quickly, he soon found out that Gavin had ingested a little bit of cocaine about fifteen minutes ago. He figured the time window he’d had to have done this was after his last class and right up until when Allen Reed showed up. Although it was a tiny amount, it frightened Nines, and he shook Gavin again while an elderly couple got on the bus next.

“Gavin!!” He whispered the boy’s name and it made him wince.

Gavin smacked Nines’ hands away from his face irritably, “Not so loud, Nines!!” He groaned and shook his head, “it feels like there’s a rock concert going on in my head…”

“Where did you get the cocaine?!” He wasn’t giving up easily, and he didn’t care if Gavin wanted to answer him or not. Hell, he didn’t even care if the boy was going to take it seriously for now. The fact of the matter was that it _was_ a very serious matter to _him_ , and he wasn’t going to stand back and just ignore it.

Gavin pressed a hand on his throat, and Nines was positive he’d meant to aim his touch for his lips, but in his drugged-up state, he’d underestimated, missed, and was too out of it to see otherwise.

“Niiiinessss,” he let out loosely, and then giggled, “j-just chill, my man…maybe I c-can get you some of this shit, too.”

The android glared at him, “Gavin, why?? Why?!”

The boy squinted at him, “Why?”

“Yes!” How could he?! After all they’d—

………

Gavin had done this _because_ of him…

He’d never known what it felt like to truly become the villain until now. He’d understood concepts of ‘antagonism’ and ‘evil’, but he’d never truly associated the terms with anyone or anything in particular.

But now?

Now he knew he was fully to blame. If he’d stuck around longer, maybe made more of an effort to get along with Abby, then maybe… _maybe_ Gavin wouldn’t have to suffer.

It was all his fucking fault.

Feeling overrun and overwhelmed by pure guilt and remorse, Nines cradled Gavin to his chest. The boy growled like a lost, feral animal, and he was desperately trying to push Nines away.

“You’re smotherin’ me!”

Nines didn’t care. He just needed and wanted to hold Gavin for hours.

Hearing and seeing Gavin in this state was heartbreaking, and for once, he wished he knew how to master the art of crying. He may have been a deviant, but he still didn’t know how to cry. The situation called for it, though, but all he could do was sit still and try to hold Gavin in his arms.

It was his way of crying, and the teenager stilled and calmed down significantly as he closed his eyes and shook and trembled.

The bus slowed down at another stop, then, and Nines looked down at Gavin. He slid a finger beneath his chin, and they were gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Is the drug hurting you that much, Gavin?” His voice cracked a few times, and Gavin swallowed once he heard the emotions behind it.

He shook his head, “N-no, not really,” he then nodded, which was an abrupt, unpredictable change in his behavior.

“…I just see shit, man…like…horrible shit…” He then clutched tightly to Nines’ shirt as he sniffed it and sighed.

“Christ Nines,” he purred in delight and ecstasy, “I missed you so much!”

The android gently held onto his chin a hand as he studied his eyes. Gavin looked beyond ‘sick’, and he practically drooled all over Nines as he snickered and giggled. It eventually turned into loud laughter that Nines wasn’t able to contain, and he hushed Gavin as he shook him lightly.

“Gavin, you have to try to be yourself, again!” shaking the teenager hard, he gaped at him with deep concern running through him, “just keep talking to me!”

The teenager snorted and giggled as he pointed at the android’s nose, “W-what should we talk about then, Nines?”

Nines was about to explode, but he prayed he would remain patient. He sighed, “Just try to think and remember who you are, where you are…” he looked deeply into Gavin’s eyes, “for example, do you know your own age, even?”

He was merely asking these questions to assess the psychological state Gavin was in due to the drug, but he didn’t know how helpful it would all be in the end if the teenager had taken a mixture of other drugs and alcohol as well. Perhaps they were better off asking the driver if they could catch the fastest bus that would take them to the hospital?

Gavin moaned in an odd manner that befit half sexual arousal, but also possible pain, and it killed Nines to hear it. This really was all his fault, and he only hoped and prayed that Gavin wasn’t already on the road to becoming a hardcore drug addict. Such emotional trauma and pain he’d been through no doubt left the teenager with a shortage of coping methods as options, but Nines knew there were better, productive ways to grow and heal...if only he’d cut back on his own personal stupidity for Gavin...for Gavin...

Remembering that he’d asked Gavin to talk, Nines pressed a hand into his shoulder gently as he nuzzled him and whispered out: “How old are you, Gavin?”

The adolescent then winked with both eyes, then chose to wink again with his left, and he giggled as he whispered in Nines’ ear, “What age do you w-want me to b-be, daddy?”

Nines felt him sticking his tongue sloppily into his ear, and he leapt away from the boy.

_Christ…_

How much longer was the bus ride going to take?!

Looking ahead out the windows, Nines didn’t recognize this area they’d pulled into. It was possible that the bus had taken a detour or a new route, which pissed him off. Why couldn’t humans just follow one thing through to the end? They always had to change things, do things their own way and style, and then change it up again whenever they were bored!

Imbecilic creatures!

He gently held onto Gavin’s shoulders, wedging a hand behind his skull as he pushed him to lie back on his seat as he stood up.

“Stay there and try to close your eyes, Gavin,” he pet the boy’s head gently, “I’ll be right back.”

Gavin didn’t need to be told twice or encouraged; his eyelids drooped, and his head lolled to the side as he took in a small breath.

“Yes, I will marry you, Nines.”

The android winced for a moment, but then shrugged that comment off. Gavin was beyond under the influence, and nothing he was saying made any sense. He likely wouldn’t even remember this incident in a few hours…Nines hoped.

He moved forward until he was almost at the front of the bus by the driver’s seat. As he gazed around at the elderly people seated happily and comfortably, and the few odd young mothers with the baby strollers, he had to wonder many things.

How was it possible that Gavin Reed had snorted a little bit of cocaine while still at school, and yet neither of his parents had realized it?!

Why hadn’t _he himself_ realized it sooner?!

He was in a terrible mood by the time he tapped on the driver’s shoulder. The man whipped his head around and frowned. He clearly didn’t take too kindly to being interrupted while working, but Nines considered this a ‘special’, extenuating circumstance, to say the least.

He still was polite. “Pardon me, but is this typically the path this bus takes?”

The driver nodded, and then shrugged. He scratched the back of his head as he grunted, “Well, not usually,” he leaned forward and turned on the AC, “the summer route always changes and shifts.”

His patience was decreasing by the second. Still, he kept his tone friendly and polite.

“Will this bus stop on the other side of the street a block away from Park Row Avenue?”

The driver hummed, as if deep in thought. Then he looked over at Nines and squinted while a small smile formed on his face, “Yeah, that’s the second-last stop.”

“Thank you.”

“Uh…”

He didn’t bother with the rest of the formalities and niceties. He had a lover who wasn’t well, and Nines had to work hard on helping Gavin.

That was the only thing on his mind as he sat back down in his seat next to Gavin. The boy leaned over him again, whispering nonsense and gibberish to himself as he traced random shapes into Nines’ cheeks, and then neck.

Nines sighed as he closed his eyes and waited for their stop to be announced.

It couldn’t arrive soon enough.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Abby still hadn’t returned home when they got there. It suited Nines just fine, however. The last thing the emotionally distraught woman needed to see after facing her ex-husband after so many years was her own son high on drugs.

He was in the android’s care, now, and Nines carried Gavin up all the way towards the bathroom before stripping the boy carefully. Gavin was in a stupor, and he seemed to be somewhere between awake and asleep the entire time.

His eyes were glassy, his mind was foggy, and he wasn’t making any sense whenever he did mutter something out. His emotions were all over the place. One minute, he was crying and begging for forgiveness from Jesus Christ and God. The next minute, he was cursing most of the women in his life, and even called Jill a ‘two-timing-whore’ without a brain in her skull.

Nines turned on the shower, and he picked the boy up, placing him beneath the spray of the cold water. This would do.

He stood back as he watched Gavin become thoroughly drenched within a few seconds of the strong shower spray. His hair fell and stuck to his cheeks, and he looked like a wet, little lost animal that had been caught in the rain.

It wasn’t long before Gavin began showing signs that he couldn’t stand on his own two feet. Reluctantly, Nines got in the shower with him, clothes and all. His priority was Gavin’s health, and he rubbed the boy’s back and shoulders tenderly while he shook and buried his face against Nines’ chest. They stayed that way under the spray of the water for what felt like hours, and for the longest time, Gavin hardly moved.

Was he even breathing?? Nines wasn’t sure until Gavin let out a warm puff of air that hit him in the neck.

The android held him until he saw Gavin’s fingers and skin wrinkling, which was a sign that it was time to get out. As much as he knew he enjoyed holding the teenager, he couldn’t risk him catching a cold due to the cold water pouring down upon his heated body.

Gavin shivered as he turned around and his knees buckled, suddenly.

Nines gazed down at him while his hands reached out for Gavin desperately. “Gavin, what’re you—”

It took him a few moments to realize that Gavin’s face was at eye-level with his crotch. Had the boy done this on purpose?? In this state??!

No way…

Trying to get him back up on his feet before something horribly embarrassing happened, Nines felt his movements slowing down when Gavin rubbed his cheek against the front of his wet jeans.

Gavin purred with delight, “Niiiiiiiinesssss, I missed you so much…”

Nodding frantically, Nines tried yanking the teenager up to his feet. “Yes, I know that, Gavin! But you need to—”

The nude teenager then turned and faced his crotch, eyeing the zipper of his jeans hungrily.

“Let me t-take care of you for a m-moment, Nines…”

Oh no…

But he wasn’t able to command his arms to move in time, and damn him for not having the self-control he should have had.

Gavin had gripped his zipper between his teeth, and he playfully tugged it down with his mouth and teeth by bending his neck down and sliding his arms up and down along the sides of Nines’ thighs. Those warm hands weaved over the back of his legs, stopping by Nines’ firm ass and giving it a slight squeeze.

Noooooo…!!!!!!

This was so, so, so, so incredibly wrong!

But how was he able to stop when Gavin had already nosed his way along his boxers, letting the cold water hit against his throbbing cock which was growing harder by the second after every little touch Gavin bestowed upon it?

Nines growled down at Gavin, “Stop it…”

The boy hummed in response, and when his throat hit Nines’ dick, it sent tons of wonderful vibrations along his lower body.

Nines felt his eyes closing, and his head knocked back against the tiles of the shower wall as he relaxed his hands in Gavin’s wet hair. The boy was kissing and licking away the front of his boxers slowly, his nose pressing further and further against the tip of the android’s prominent erection.

Gavin cupped Nines through the wet fabric of his boxers suddenly, drawing out a heated hiss from the android as a result.

Gavin hushed him while sloppily fumbling to pull Nines’ cock out of his boxers. As soon as the first few drops of water made contact with his flesh, Nines groaned loudly, losing the last bits of his control. A moment later, a hot, gentle pressure tightened its way around the tip of his hard length, making it stand firm to the attention it was receiving.

Gavin’s mouth felt _so_ good on him, and he was frozen to the spot as he fisted Gavin’s hair roughly while the boy’s mouth worked him gently for a few moments. Those lips wrapped around the tip of his cock, and when Gavin sucked him lightly, that was when Nines snapped back to reality.

NO.

No fucking way was he going to stand there and let the boy do something to him when he wasn’t 100% himself. They were only both going to wind up regretting this later, and he was taking advantage of Gavin entirely by allowing this to happen.

Who was he to claim he truly cared for Gavin if he let this continue???

Cupping the boy’s chin in a hand strongly, Nines moved back a little, stepping to the side as he hurriedly tucked himself back in his boxers.

“Gavin!”

The boy groaned in anguish, “Why did you s-stop me, Nines?” He could hardly stand as he wiped his eyes, his tone of voice wavering as he stared at Nines blearily. 

Frowning angrily at him, Nines yanked him back to his feet. “Don’t you ever ask me such a thing! I can’t take advantage of you like this, and I _never_ will.”

The teenager merely threw him a dunk look, his eyes glazed and slightly dewy. “I w-wasn’t gonna…” He turned pale suddenly, and he wrapped a hand around his stomach as he groaned. Gavin bent over a little, turning around a few times as he grimaced in pain.

“Gavin??”

He looked up at Nines with wide eyes, and he motioned over the side of the tub.

Nines nodded, quickly reading the nonverbal signs Gavin was throwing him, “Toilet!”

Holding onto Gavin’s shoulder with one hand so the boy wouldn’t slip, Nines made sure he was on the floormats before he draped a towel over Gavin’s body as best he could. In a hurry, he threw open the toilet bowl lid, and he watched as Gavin bent over it, vomiting profusely.

Nines knew Gavin would have preferred to be alone during this moment, as it was one of his worst sicknesses yet. He knew the boy valued privacy, but he wanted to be here for Gavin.

_In sickness, and in health…_

Ignoring the strange thoughts overflowing his mind, Nines helped Gavin back to his own room, and he spent the entire evening nursing the boy back to full health.

It took a lot longer than he’d expected, but he made sure Gavin was warm, hydrated, and had light toast in his system when he was ready to eat. Nines constantly scanned him to make sure the drugs were out of his system, and he didn’t give Gavin a painkiller, even when he asked for one due to a headache and his body aching.

Nines couldn’t risk loading the boy with more drugs and narcotics, regardless of whether one of the types was over-the-counter or not. He resorted instead to massaging Gavin, placing a heated water bottle and a warm, wet cloth on places he said ached, and after nearly two hours of them lying together in bed, Gavin was up and about like his usual self.

He watched the teenager bring back a small sandwich he’d prepared for himself, and he jumped on his bed as he munched away happily on the sandwich while Nines shook his head at him.

Gavin stared up at him, and with a mouth full of sandwich, he hissed out, “What?”

Nines sighed, “When’s your mother coming back?”

“No ide-”

The front door suddenly opened, and then slammed a few seconds later.

“Gavin?!?!” Panicked footsteps clicked and stomped all around the main level of the house, and it was no surprise who they belonged to.

The teenager held up a finger and pointed it at the bedroom door, “Speak of the Devil, and she shall appear…”

Nines glared at him.

Gavin still pointed at his bedroom door while his mother took off her shoes downstairs in the hallway and began calling up to him.

Nines knew the drill.

Time to leave the bedroom before Abby came upstairs.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Things were a little more on the ‘quiet’ side a few days after Gavin was fully recovered. He eventually told both his mother and Nines that he’d been using drugs, but he didn’t tell Abby what kind of drugs. All they knew was that he’d received them from Darren, and when his mother screamed and threatened that she was going to ring up Darren’s parents and possibly sue them for endangering her son, Nines stepped in and tried calming her down.

It had proven to be very difficult, but after an hour of crying and wailing like a child in the night, she finally fell asleep…with Nines curled up next to her, once again. He didn’t want to end up in this position ever again, but it was what she needed most, especially after she’d lashed out enough at Allen and Gavin. The less conflict this family had, the better it was for them all, and Nines was going to see to it that things were handled a lot less aggressively.

Sadly, that meant staying by Abby’s side for the price of making sure she wasn’t poking around in Gavin’s mind for the time being, anyway. There was no telling what the trigger for Gavin’s drug abuse was, and Nines didn’t want to go off on the chance that it had been indeed linked to either of his parents and their treatment of him.

Abby seemed to toss and turn in her sleep more so than he remembered her ever doing, and she even spat our expletives-no doubt as a result of the dream she’d currently been having while hooking her hands around Nines’ body tightly. He’d been a fool to hope and wish for them to never repeat their ‘night-time-sleeping-buddy-routine’, but if it helped her stay away from yelling at Gavin, so be it.

Nines was only able to sneak away when he was certain Abby was in a deep sleep, and he tiptoed out of her room, turning off the lights as he silently made his way down to the kitchen. He really had nothing else to do on this lazy Saturday afternoon, and with Abby asleep in her room, he figured he could use some alone time to think and reflect on everything.

He didn’t know how else Abby was going to gather information regarding Gavin’s deviant and aggressive behavior as of late, seeing as the mother and son didn’t exactly share the closest of bonds. Still, he wasn’t worried about jumping in line to rush ahead and tell her everything he knew. She would figure it out on her own, and he supposed when it came to it, she was a rather bright parent for her son’s safety.

_As I should be doing…_

He nearly frowned at his own thoughts. He hadn’t failed Gavin that much! Had he?

Wait…why was he hiding behind the shadows of his doubts?!

Nines was suddenly very confused for the first time after many months spent with Gavin. It seemed that ever since he’d returned to the teenager’s side, he had to constantly watch over himself when they were alone.

Sure, it wasn’t entirely nonsexual, what Nines was feeling for Gavin, but that was perhaps why he was placing himself under greater scrutiny than he’d liked to. It helped now that Abby had a clear picture of their relationship, but that didn’t add to much when Nines went over the edge anytime his body was within an inch of Gavin’s…didn’t he have any self-control?! What the hell was wrong with him?! He’d never had these issues surrounding Gavin before, so what difference did it make now that he was a deviant?!

Nines nearly tugged at his own hair in frustration, but he heard a hiccup somewhere close by when he’d wandered into the kitchen.

Spinning around quickly, he found Gavin sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of alcohol in his hands.

“Sup, Nines?” Gavin greeted him with a small wave.

_Oh for crying out loud…_

Using his long arms to his advantage, Nines swept over towards the kitchen table, and he swiped the bottle of alcohol away from Gavin.

“HEY!”

“Shut up,” he hissed, threw his head back, and downed the entire bottle of alcohol himself in a hurried gulp. Practically slamming the glass bottle back down on the table, Nines sneered down at Gavin.

“I thought we discussed you staying away from illegal substances?”

This statement earned him a lazy eye-roll from Gavin.

“Don’t fucking roll your eyes at me!” Nines yelled as he pointed a finger into Gavin’s face.

Strangely, this held no effect on the teenager, and he rose from his seat, swaying slightly while he shrugged. “In case you didn’t notice, Nines,” he let out another small hiccup, “I’m kinda already wasted.”

Nines hissed, “Believe me, I noticed.” That wasn’t entirely a lie. He’d taken notice of how Gavin was unable to keep his balance properly, and his eyes swam about and glossed over while he trembled. This only pissed Nines off further, and he searched around the clean, orderly kitchen.

“Where’s the rest of the alcohol?”

Gavin gave him a sloppy grin, “Already drank it, Nines.”

The android was furious. Gripping Gavin’s hand tightly in his own, he dragged the boy upstairs to his room.

Gavin tried tugging his hand out of Nines’, but they were already on his bed within minutes.

“What’re you d-doin’, Nines?”

Making sure Gavin wasn’t going to get up again, Nines pressed a hand down against the teenager’s chest, kicked off his shoes, and got on the bed next to him. “We’re going to remain here until you sober up,” he explained as he pulled the teenager down to lie down beside him flatly.

“…your mother doesn’t need to find you in this sorry state; she’s been through enough.”

Gavin hummed and then giggled as he placed his head against Nines’ chest. “She’s used t-to this, trust me.”

Nines rubbed his forehead, “I trust you about as far as I can throw you, Gavin.”

The teenager practically purred as he tried climbing on top of Nines, “C-come on, Nines, don’t be like that…”

“Stop it.”

Shoving the teenager off him, Nines moved further away from Gavin until he was pressed against the wall, while the boy merely shrugged as he rolled on his side and turned his back to Nines.

“Fine, Nines,” he spat with a little bit of malice and anger behind his tone, “I was just g-gonna make you f-feel good.”

Nines glared at his back, “Spare me the maudlin antics, Gavin.”

“Screw off.”

Well, this was rather immature, especially on his part. He was still ‘an adult’, and he needed to show Gavin better, and he was only making things worse by arguing with him. He resisted the urge to slap himself in the face, but he stared up at the ceiling while Gavin slowly succumbed to a slumber beside him.

Soon, Gavin’s light breaths were the only sounds in the room, and Nines turned his neck over to peer at the boy next to him. His shoulders didn’t shake as much, and his body had taken a very relaxed position. At least he was comfortable.

Sighing lightly, Nines turned on his side, placing his weight on his elbow as he stared at Gavin’s sleeping form.

He hoped the boy was going to wake up sober, but there was no telling how much alcohol he’d had, and this upset him deeply.

While Nines couldn’t blame Gavin for feeling stressed due to everything that had gone on lately in his young life, he felt so hurt and upset that Gavin had to resort to drugs and alcohol to cope with things.

_I wish he’d have come to me instead…_

_…_

_Am I that bad?_

Battling with himself internally, Nines curled his body around Gavin’s, his hands and fingers playing softly with the boy’s hair as he slept. Clearly, his motions and touches were greatly enjoyable and sensational to Gavin, and the teenager soon turned around to lie down on his back. He grabbed Nines’ right hand and cradled it to his chest for a moment, and Nines beamed at him.

Warmth spread all over his body. How could he stay mad at such a wonderful, lovely young man?? Gavin really was making his insides melt with how gentle and soft he was, and Nines felt himself soon turning to mush and goo when the boy let out a soft sigh of satisfaction.

_You really are handsome, Gavin Reed._

Nines went to ruffle Gavin’s hair, but then suddenly, the teenager held firmly onto Nines’ hand, and he brought the android’s fingers to his lips.

Nines froze.

_Gavin?_

Scanning the boy quickly, he saw that the teenager wasn’t pretending to be asleep like he originally thought he was. No, Gavin was in deep sleep, and he had already entered REM sleep. He was dreaming, more than likely, and as Nines stared down at him in shock, the boy’s lips parted, and he ran the tip of Nines’ index finger over the seam of his lips.

A pink tongue darted out, barely wetting both Gavin’s lips and Nines’ index finger in the process. As soon as that silky tongue made contact with Nines’ skin, he felt his cock stirring as it took a keen interest in what was going on.

Gavin moaned softly, applying pressure on the back of Nines’ hand as he slid that index finger inside his mouth. It grazed over the top of the bottom row of his teeth while his tongue flicked out and ran in a few small circles around the tip of the digit.

Nines was barely able to suppress an aroused groan.

_Yes Gavin…yes…_

He watched as his finger disappeared further inside the boy’s warm, wet mouth, and he lost control when Gavin began lapping at his finger. Nines was unable to stop himself from shoving his middle finger inside the boy’s mouth, eager for it to join the first finger already in there, basking in the warmth and wetness.

_Suck them, Gavin…suck them both, and use your tongue, darling._

As if hearing his thoughts somehow, Gavin began sucking on both the digits slowly. His tongue messily and sloppily slid between them, and Nines began pressing his hips against Gavin’s side in response. It didn’t help that the teenager moaned and took his fingers into his mouth deeper and deeper, and soon, Nines panted into Gavin’s ear as he closed his eyes and focused on the delicious feelings shooting through his groin. It wasn’t going to be long before he lost more control and began no doubt humping the teenager’s leg like a horny mutt in heat, but he found he was unable to regret that thought and stop himself.

_I’m so sorry, Gavin…_

Gavin moaned a little louder before turning his head to the side and muttering: “So hungry…food…”

Nines’ eyes flew open in shock.

_Oh my god…_

Removing his fingers gently from Gavin’s mouth, Nines retreated away from the sleeping teen as guilt flooded through his system.

_What the fuck is wrong with me?! I was taking advantage of him when he was dreaming about food and eating!!_

He really was disgusting.

Getting off the bed silently, Nines hung his head down in shame as he closed the blinds in the teenager’s room, leaving quickly so he could prepare something for Gavin when he woke up and got his appetite fully back.

_I deserve to be shot in the damn head._

Scolding himself wasn’t nearly enough to ease the burden of the guilt off. He needed to stay away from Gavin before he lost more control than he already had. That was just what needed to be done, and there was no other way around it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very upsetting chapter, but I wanted to show how Gavin had 'sank' to the lowest depths now that he basically almost lost a lover and good role model figure :(


	28. Friends in High Places

 

Nines was in the kitchen once more. As he stuck his head inside the fridge, digging around for vegetables to prepare a light meal for Gavin, he found his thoughts clouded over with resentment, hatred, and anger-all mostly pointed towards himself.

He hated that he had lost control around Gavin twice, especially when the teenager was still in trouble with his parents and from school.

Why was he thinking of sex when Gavin’s future was in jeopardy?

_Because I’m a disgusting, sick, twisted, perverse bastard._

He had to agree with his thoughts. 

Nines had always prided himself for having unbreakable will, amazing self-control, and restraints and barriers like a fortress. But now? All it had taken was the smallest touch from a teenager, and all those walls and barriers Nines had worked hard on preserving had been ruptured piece-by-piece like someone tearing down a building. How had this happened in such a short period of time without him even noticing it??

Nines slammed down on the kitchen counter an onion, a clove of garlic, ginger, bean sprouts, broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, and a small pack of noodles.

Chinese food sounded great.

He’d barely been able to chop the vegetables when he felt arms wrapping around his waist.

Nines spun around in fear, thinking it was Gavin again, but disappointment washed over him when he was faced with Abby Reed. What did she want, _now?!_

He noticed she was holding a crumpled-up tissue in her right hand, and she sniffed as she stared at the washed, and freshly cut vegetables.

“What’re you making?” Her voice was suddenly so timid and small; a complete opposite to what it used to be. Nines supposed it was from crying all night long, perhaps.

He sighed, “Stir fry, and I was thinking we could do rice and beans, perhaps, as a side dish…”

She wiped her eyes with the back of a hand, “It smells good…”

“Thanks…”

Unsure of what else to do, Nines was about to turn to finish his work, when he heard Abby sniffling a little harder.

“Nines?”

He set his knife down on the cutting board, rolling his eyes as he took off the white cooking apron he had been wearing and tossed it on the counter.

Grabbing her hand, he was already making his way out of the kitchen and towards the second-floor of the house.

“Come on.”

She didn’t object to him leading her up to her room. She didn’t object to him placing her gently down on her bed. She didn’t object to him turning on a few lights, and she didn’t object to him getting out a nail polish kit and some elastic hair bands.

Abby sighed, and then sniffled, “What’re you doing?”

Nines sat down on the bed behind her, pulling her hair back over her shoulders gently, “I’m going to braid your hair, and then I’m going to paint your nails.”

He didn’t know what had possessed him to offer such an odd service to Abby, but it came naturally as the wind through the clouds, or the tide of an ocean.

Abby was silent for a while, but then she scrambled over to her dresser, grabbing a pink-colored hairbrush and handing it to Nines.

A little shy smirk was upon her face, and Nines knew she was reminiscing. Unfortunately, whatever memory she was going through in her mind made her a little sad, and her expression reflected it as she sighed and her shoulders caved in a little.

She made her way back to the bed and sat down in the center of it with Nines behind her.

“What’s wrong?” His fingers wove through her highlighted locks, grabbing a small portion as he combed it softly. He enjoyed how silky and smooth her clean her felt against his fingers.

Her head hung low, and Nines felt her stiffen as she folded her arms over her chest, then drew her knees up into her abdomen and tucked them together. “Allen used to comb my hair and braid it for me…” she let out a shaky breath that hinged on the edges of a broken sob, “when Gavin was almost seven, he and Allen used to wake me up every Saturday morning, and Gavin would paint my toenails while Allen brushed my hair…”

Nines stared at the back of her head as his hands and fingers moved on autopilot while he summoned up the image of a younger Gavin Reed sitting before his mother while he messily painted her toenails. Allen Reed would sit where he currently was, and while Gavin placed majority of the nail polish on his mother’s flesh as opposed to the nail, he imagined Allen and Abby would throw their heads back in laughter at his innocence.

They used to be a family…once upon a time…

He pushed her hair to the side as he divided it evenly, and wove it around his fingers as he looped the sections he was braiding together. He decided to go for a single braid at the back of her head.

Yes, that would do nicely.

Abby sniffled again, gripping the sheets tightly as she repressed a wail. “I d-don’t understand how s-someone can have everything one moment, and th-then nothing in the next…” her shoulders sank, and she turned her head a little, her eyes shifting to the side as she tried taking a peek at him.

“We l-lived the fairy tale life, Nines, and then in the snap of a finger, it was all gone!”

He resisted the urge to say that if it had disappeared, it hadn’t gone away without reason. But he knew better than that, and he bit his tongue as he gently pushed her head down to tilt into her chest as he got a better angle while he braided.

“I…I miss him…” 

she stated in a faint whispery voice.

Nines raised an eyebrow, “You miss the past, Abby; major difference.”

She groaned, “My mother often said I spent far too much time living in the past…” she turned a little, and he paused in his work.

“…do you think it’s true, Nines?”

She was asking his opinion? Well, he had to be unbiased, now. Taking his time to think and reflect on the question, Nines looked away from her pained eyes. It seemed as if she wanted him to answer in a certain way that would appease her pain and suffering, but what good was lying to her to temporarily alleviate her torment? That would only feed into her issues and victim complex, and he would be doing her the worst disservice.

Honesty was indeed the best policy.

He pushed his shoulders back as he gripped her chin in a strong hand. “Abby,” he looked deeply into her eyes, and she blinked back a few tears.

“…If I told you how and why things took a turn for the worse, you’d never believe me.” He grabbed an elastic band, wrapping it around the end of the braid he’d completed. However, before he could wrap it properly, Abby turned around abruptly.

The way he’d made the braid was pretty strong, and it didn’t fall apart when she turned all the way around to look at him.

Her chin quivered, her eyes watered over with fresh tears, and Nines had to look away for a moment. This hurt. This hurt a lot.

“W-why can’t you t-t-tell me, Nines?”

Once again, her voice was small, frightened, and it was more like a young girl’s than a grown woman’s.

Swallowing thickly, Nines turned to face her, their eyes peering directly into each other’s as they sat still like two statues in the darkness.

_What is it that happened to you that hurt you so much, Abby?_

She swallowed and a tear rolled down her cheek, almost hitting her jawline. Hands moving quickly, Nines caught the teardrop just in time before it slipped off her jaw and flew through the air downwards.

It landed perfectly into his open palm, and he held it up to his eyes as he studied it with a broken expression that hung halfway between pained and regretful. Nines wasn’t sure what he was regretting, but he realized whatever it was-it had to do with empathizing with both Allen and Abby Reed. Truthfully, he’d never known such broken people I his entire creation. He had to wonder how many other families in North America were like this as well. The number must’ve been quite high, and what perturbed him deeply was the fact that the other families didn’t have a ‘Nines’ around to help understand them…

_You can’t save the whole world…_

Abby’s hand slid into his, and the tear melted between their skin. Nines watched it disappear when the shadow of Abby’s hand covered his, and he looked up once more to meet her green eyes.

“Nines…”

He raised his head a little, still holding the elastic band in his opposite hand, “If I told you, Abby, there’d be no point.”

She let out a broken sob, then pressed a hand over her mouth to contain it. “Wh-why can’t you tell me?!?”

“Because you have to figure it out for yourself.”

His answer obviously hadn’t been the one she’d wanted to hear, and she immediately turned her back to him and yanked the elastic band out of his fingers. Standing up towards her mirror, she wrapped her own braid neatly, and flung it back over her shoulders as she blinked back tears.

Her hands flew up to her cheeks and eyes, and she dabbed at them as she wiped her tears away.

“I refuse to cry anymore, Nines,” she announced as she sniffed lightly again, staring at him in the mirror’s reflection, “and if there’s some lesson I have to learn in all this, so be it.”

He tilted his head at her as he curiously studied her form, “I hope you mean that, Abby-for both your sake, and Gavin’s.”

She clenched her fists and pressed her hands at her sides carefully, as if she was about to explode. Her eyes closed, and she let out a huffed breath, “I’ll worry about my own son, if it’s all the same to you, Nines.”

He scoffed, “If this is your way of telling me to fuck off—”

Whipping around quickly, she spat down at him while the light from the ceiling bounced off the top of her head, showing off her golden highlights weaving their way around her dark brown hair nicely.

“No!” she shrieked as she wiped her eyes again, “this isn’t my way of telling you to fuck off, Nines, this is just me asking you to give me time as a parent instead of overwhelming me all the time!!”

Nines didn’t say anything as he regarded her carefully. It took all his control to hold back on what he wanted to say, but this was again for her own development and growth. If that wasn’t the truth of reality, he’d have interrupted her outbursts long ago.

She wrung her hands nervously as she sat back down on the bed, pushing aside the nail polish kit. “Nines, I’m Gavin’s mother, and no matter how old he gets, he’ll _always_ be my baby.”

He was still silent as she looked down at the tray of different colors of nail polish.

“I know it’s not easy for you to understand this concept, seeing as you can’t have any paternal feelings for a human being…” her eyes flew up to his dangerously, and Nines offered her a small scowl.

Just because he couldn’t become a father, didn’t mean he didn’t have some sensations about what it meant to be a parent. After all, in some ways, he had been a better parent to Gavin than his own mother had! He found Abby’s words insensitive and rude, but he didn’t interrupt her again as her fingers wove around the various shades of purple, red, green, and blue nail polish.

It seemed she was taking her time selecting one, but he let her take her time as she sighed softly while shaking her head from side-to-side. Eventually, she found one she liked, and her eyes zoomed in on it while she spoke out to him softly.

“Look, I wasn’t trying to be a bitch…”

_You claim you never are trying to be, but you are one anyway._

“…but I take parenting very, _very_ seriously!”

Before Nines could question that claim, she rolled up both jean legs up to her kneecaps, and she draped her legs before Nines’ lap. She fished out a creamy-white nail polish color.

Looking at the label of it, she read aloud: “Seashore White…this is the one I want, Nines.” She followed this by tossing him a little smile.

Nines wanted to glare at her, but something about the way she held such an young, innocent smile upon her face made him change his mind immediately. Smiling back at her, he grabbed the nail polish gently and opened the cap.

“Alright, Abby.”

He got to work, placing little cotton balls between each of her toes as he painted her small nails expertly.

She watched him for a while, sighing as she leaned back on a pillow while playing with her hair. When she had enough of that, she leaned down to the floor, and pulled out a bag from under her bed.

Nines looked up in time to see her holding a cigarette between her lips.

Before lighting it up, she sensed she was being watched, and she smirked at him. “Don’t you judge me now.” She lit it and threw her head back, blowing the smoke out the window as best as she could.

Nines only smiled down at her little off-white toes, “I shan’t judge you, Abby,” he made sure not to get any color on her skin, “I am by no means perfect, myself...for I’ve started drinking a little more than I should be.”

This drew a laugh from the woman before him. “I didn’t think androids could drink!”

He smiled at her pretty feet, “We can, though not a lot at a single time.”

“What a mess we both are,” she shook her head and scratched at her temple lightly while watching him halfway completing his task.

Nines hummed in response.

Abby looked out the window as she sighed softly, “You know, I think I’ve got it all backwards, Nines…”

“I’ll say you do,” he interrupted with a bit of humor to his voice, and she playfully smacked his shoulder as she sat up a little.

He growled as he yanked her ankle towards his lap, “Don’t move, unless you want color on your foot.”

“Okay,” she giggled as her cheeks grew pink the longer she stared at him in the middle of his work. His fingers moved the little brush along the length and width of her toenails like one of the greatest artists painting their life’s work. She really admired how gently he was treating her as he didn’t get a drop on her skin.

Staring back out the window as she took a long drag from her cigarette, Abby’s jaw tightened. She eventually looked over at Nines again, and then stared at her half-open closet door.

“Nines?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I show you something?”

He nodded while finishing up her last toe, “If you must, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t move until your nails are dry.”

“Fine,” she gestured at the closet door, “on the second shelf there should be a digital camera and a photo album…can you bring them out here for me?”

Nines felt every part of his system turning to mush right then. He knew exactly what Abby was asking of him, and what all these items held and symbolized: Memories. She wanted to share her memories with him. Perhaps now he would learn why photos of Allen Reed were never found in the house after all…

Making his way slowly towards the closet, Nines pulled the door open, leaned up a little, and did indeed find the camera and the photo album stacked next to a box of gloves and winter scarves.

Turning back towards Abby for a moment, he stammered, “Are you sure you want me to see these, Abby?”

She offered him a warm smile, still lying down on her elbows, “Yes, I wouldn’t have offered otherwise, Nines.”

She trusted him. He was family. That was the reason why she was allowing this.

Feeling encouraged even more, Nines grabbed the camera and the photo album. He made his way back to the bed, and Abby rolled over on her stomach, kicking her feet up into the air carefully as Nines sat beside her.

“Let’s start with the photo album first,” she said as she opened it up to the first page as she placed it before them both.

_Is this really happening?!_

When he felt her arm brush against his kneecap, he knew it was indeed happening for real. He leaned over as he sat cross legged beside her as she pointed at the first photo.

“This was me as a baby!”

And she was indeed a cute one.

Abby had light blonde hair as a baby, and it curled above her head as she sat on a chair and faced the camera with a small smile on her face.

She chuckled, “My parents apparently asked the photographer who took this photo to make all kinds of farting noises.”

Nines snickered, “Why?”

“I wouldn’t stop crying long enough for them to take a good photo.”

He grinned as she pointed at another photo, and this time, Nines saw she was a little older.

“I think I was about six in this photo?” She smiled as she tapped a finger on the photo, and Nines saw another girl standing next to Abby. They were standing in a backyard with wild flowers and lovely bushes and foliage around them in clear daylight, and the girl standing next to Abby was a little older. They still wore matching outfits, which consisted of bright pink overalls and white tops with little black dress shoes as they held hands and smiled.

Abby laughed, “We still had our baby teeth, but this is my cousin Ari-well, her name is Arielle.”

Nines nodded, “Is she the—”

Nodding back, Abby smiled at the photo, “Yes, she is married to a woman, and we all knew she was a lesbian even before she came out to her parents…”

As she flipped through the photos, Nines stared down at Abby’s face. Abby went through a serious of expressions and emotions as she showed the age progression of herself until she was almost past high school. As the memories and years flew by in the photos, Nines came to the conclusion that he’d almost misjudged Abby the same way he had misjudged her ex-husband as well.

Abby Reed wasn’t a bad person; she was just badly damaged.

The photos reflected that, as Abby flipped closer towards the end of the album, and she reluctantly paused at one particular photo.

“I was something of a wild thing back then,” she sighed as a photo of Abby with pigtails faced them. The left side of her hair was dyed bright red, and the right was dyed black. She had on heavy, dark eyeliner and eyeshadow, and a man close to her age stood beside her, sticking his tongue out at the camera.

Nines frowned at the photograph, “Why is his tongue out like that?”

Abby giggled, “He thought he was like Gene Simmons, I think.”

Going through his data quickly on the name, Nines collected results mostly on a band called ‘Kiss’. He saw the images of the white-and-black painted face of the man with his tongue jutting out wildly.

He shook his head, “Yes, I see now.”

Abby smirked as she closed the album. “I had a lot of boyfriends back then, but no one serious…not until…Allen…”

Once again, he remembered what Gavin had told him about Allen Reed being Abby’s first true love. He didn’t want to say anything that would give away sensitive, personal information or allude to the fact that he had such a conversation in that manner with her son, but he smiled as he nodded, “I see…”

Abby sat up a little, grabbing the digital camera as she gasped, “I’m shocked I haven’t deleted anything in here yet!”

As Nines waited, she eventually turned the camera screen over to him when she was ready, and she chewed on her lip worriedly as she tapped on the screen gently with a fingernail.

“These are my parents.”

Nines saw Abby standing between an elderly man and elderly woman. There were in front of a high school, and Abby didn’t have dyed hair as she did in the previous photo he’d seen of her. Instead, her hair color was much the same as it was now-subtract the highlights-and she hardly wore any makeup. She was wearing a graduation gown, however, and she held her rolled-up high school diploma in a hand while she was wearing an obviously fake and forced smile on her face.

Shivering a little, Abby spoke on, “My dad was a serious man who demanded respect and obedience. When he found me exploring my youth like all my friends…” she shivered again and then covered it up with a small, uncomfortable giggle, “…well, you can imagine his reaction, I’m sure.”

Pressing a button to move to the next photo, Nines looked once again at Abby with a trace of sadness in his eyes.

_Maybe that’s why she’s so hard on Gavin…_

They went through a few photos of Abby on a sports team, which she told Nines that in college, she’d tried out for the girls’ basketball and volleyball teams and got in successfully, and there were a few more family photos around holidays and special events afterwards.

Nearly ten minutes went by when Abby loaded a photo of herself sitting in a restaurant with a young man…

Nines didn’t need to be a genius to know the identity of the man seated across from a twenty-one-year-old Abby Reed.

It was Allen Reed, and did he ever look different back then.

Nines nearly fell forward into the camera screen as he stared and stared and stared at the man’s image for a long time.

Abby noticed his blatantly obvious gaping and she laughed, “I know, hard to believe that’s him, right?”

_Understatement. Of. The. Century._

Allen Reed had short hair in this photo. It was trimmed back as shortly as Nines’ own hair, and he actually was wearing thick glasses that framed his face quite nicely. He had shaved properly, and was wearing a clean, freshly-ironed white shirt with a black tie, and matching black dress pants. He held a glass of wine in his hands, and Abby held one too as she offered the camera a ruby-red lip-stick smile.

They looked so perfect and happy together…

Abby smiled, “This was us on our first date, if you can believe it or not.”

“Wow…just…wow…”

She laughed, “I know, I say the same thing still to this day.”

Before Nines could gape more, Abby loaded more photos, and for majority of the ones she’d taken with Allen, Nines could see that he seemed the same in each and every one for almost a year.

Taking a note of the time stamp in the bottom right-hand-corner of the screen, Nines soon figured that the photo they were currently looking at was only two years before Gavin had been born…

“Allen proposed to me here,” Abby said as she placed a hand against her temple while peering down longingly at the photo. Her cheeks flushed a little, and she smiled a sad smile. “It was all going so well still.”

Allen was propped on one knee with a ring in his hands in offering to Abby. She was wearing a long, yellow dress with expensive jewelry all around her wrists and neck that gleamed in the light perfectly. In Nines’ opinion, she look a million dollars. Her body was toned and fit, and her makeup only brought out her natural beauty. Her hair was long and in wavy curls that cascaded down her back while Allen smiled into her eyes lovingly.

It was only a photo, and yet Nines could feel how deeply and truly they loved and wanted each other.

Abby hummed as she passed the photo by, and the next serious of photos were Abby and Allen planning their wedding.

As Nines looked at the wedding pictures finally, he found that Gavin hadn’t been lying. Allen had indeed attended the wedding dressed in a black trench coat, a torn band shirt with the name ‘Opeth’ on it, and black skater shorts. His hair had also grown a little longer, but it was barely up to his jawline as it hung down straightly.

Covering her eyes, Abby laughed loudly. Her shoulders shook and shook until she calmed down, taking deep breaths.

“Oh my…” she sighed as she fanned herself with a hand, cheeks still bright pink, “this was quite the experience, especially for my poor father!”

Nines remembered Gavin’s words, and they echoed in his mind clear as a bell.

_“My grandfather actually called the cops on him, thinking that he was gonna rob my mom and trash the wedding, but it turned out that my grandfather learned that day that his daughter was engaged to a punk, after all, haha!”_

“Let’s just say it took a _lot_ of convincing to get my father not to call the police, because he thought Allen was going to rob us and destroy the wedding ceremony!”

Nines smiled lightly. Though he already had heard the story, it was great to hear Abby’s words corroborating what Gavin had told him. It kept up with the consistent thought that he held regarding Abby being honest with him and fully trusting him enough with this information.

As Abby continued going through the photos, Nines saw what appeared to be a baby shower, Abby sporting a baby bump while she was in school to get her degree in counselling psychology, a few more family trips and events, as well as a photo of Abby and Allen in the hospital…

Sadly, as the months progressed, Nines noticed that Allen’s physical appearance seemed to deteriorate as well.

The young man he’d seen in the restaurant had been replaced by an older, more exhausted version of himself. Allen’s hair seemed to grow more and more after every photo they went through, up until it rested up to his shoulders. His beard grew, and the bags under his eyes were more prominent as well.

When it got to be too much for Abby, her hands shook, and she landed on one final picture before she broke into a loud sob. She hurriedly put out her cigarette on an ashtray resting on one of her night tables as she shook and trembled wildly.

Tossing the camera at him, she ran into her own bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Nines was left staring at a photo of Allen, Abby, and a toddler Gavin Reed. Gavin was hoisted on his father’s shoulders, his little chubby fists resting on top of Allen’s head while the man’s long hair loosely fell over his shoulders. Abby stood next to her husband; her head tilted so it leaned against his shoulder.

Allen wasn’t wearing glasses in this photo, and he actually seemed a little livelier and more energetic. The circles and bags weren’t visible beneath his eyes, and his teeth were white and clean as he flashed them at the camera.

He looked like a proud father on the top of the world.

Nines set the camera down and made his way towards the bathroom door. Knocking on it once, it creaked open, and Abby was hunched over a sink as she washed away her tears.

She gazed back at him when he entered the clean bathroom.

“I’m sorry Nines,” she wheezed out in a gentle whisper, “I don’t know what came over me.”

He gently grabbed her shoulders, turning off the water and making her sit on the edge of her large bathtub. He then grabbed a dry cloth hanging on a hook in the wall and sat down beside her as he wiped her wet face lightly with it.

“Don’t apologize Abby,” he spoke softly as he tried comforting her as best as he could, “it’s only human to experience those emotions.”

She nodded as she closed her eyes and allowed him to do his job, “I sometimes wish I was like you…not needing to feel anything.”

Setting the cloth down, Nines snuck a finger beneath her chin as he forced her head to crane up so they stared into each other’s eyes.

He shook his head once her eyes opened and looked into his. “You’re so very wrong, Abby; I feel a lot. I feel for you, your son, and even your ex-husband now that you showed me everything from your past with him.” And he meant every bit of what he said sincerely and earnestly.

She felt it, and she pressed her hands into his chest, eventually making their way around his shoulders and neck as she pulled him against her in a small embrace.

“Thank you, Nines, thank you…”

He felt her breathing against him, and while he was unable to do the same thing, he wove his hands over her braid, caressing it gently as he pulled away from her a little so he could look at her once more.

“You know,” he smiled proudly at her, “you were right when you said you got this all backwards, Abby…”

She raised her eyebrows as she held onto the cloth, “Oh yeah?”

He nodded, “Yes…you need a best friend; not a lover.”

Her mouth fell open, but she made no move to interrupt him.

Taking this as a sign to continue, Nines placed a hand on her shoulder as he leaned against her, “You need a good male friend you can rely on and who won’t pressure you to behave a certain way you naturally wouldn’t on your own unless you were trying to impress someone. You need a friend who can be there for you and not judge you, and you really need someone to talk to that isn’t a therapist.”

She smiled as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, “I need you, Nines.”

He smiled, “You have a friend in me, Abby.”

“I’m really sorry for how I treated you and Gavin,” she stated gently as she folded her hands in her lap and avoided his gaze, “I don’t know what goes through my head sometimes, but god knows you both never deserved that from me…”

He elbowed her gently, “Hey, Abby, it’s okay. I understand completely.”

She cleared her throat, “Forgive me?”

“Of course I do.”

As they sat side-by-side, Nines felt himself warming up to a new thought.

Perhaps he couldn’t save the whole world, but he could save a few lives in the process as he tried a little each day.

And that was good enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably the only 'redeeming' part for Abby. She's not a terrible person. A lot just went on in her life, and things turned bad and then got from bad to worse in a few short years for her. As I implied from her dialogue about her parents, she kind of had a weird/rough upbringing that I've left mostly ambiguous for readers to 'fill in the gaps', so to speak. But needless to say, Abby's not entirely bad; she's honestly a woman with mental health issues and stress she doesn't know how to deal with in a more healthy way.


	29. Remedial Life Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this chapter came out late! I have been working hard on staying ahead on my newest fic 'More Than a Woman, More Than a Bride' , and I forgot about this fic Dx I apologize, guys, but if it happens again in the future, just please remind me in a comment, and I WILL upload this fic ASAP, because I HAVE completed it already on my laptop-it's just sitting here while I work on other things DX

“You never told me you smoked,” Nines stated plainly as he watched Abby light up a new cigarette.

She was curled up on a chair in front of her bedroom window, and she flicked the ashes out it as she tossed a shrug back at Nines.

“It’s not a habit I’m proud of, but I tried quitting some time ago.” She hung her head down, as if in shame, but took a puff from her cigarette anyway. It wasn’t long before the room was too silent for her liking, and she looked over at Nines while he leaned against her dresser.

He’d been offered a generous amount of mimosa that Abby had prepared for him while Gavin slept away his hangover in his room.

Truthfully, Nines had been worried about Gavin’s health and condition, but he didn’t want to draw attention to the boy and let his mother find out he’d been drinking, so he instead kept her occupied in the kitchen for a while as they made drinks together.

Eventually, they headed back upstairs to her bedroom where they spoke more about Abby’s past and some of her best memories, with Nines sipping down his drink over the course of an hour and ten minutes.

It was a very good mimosa cocktail, with freshly and naturally squeezed orange juice that brought out the best citrus flavor. He soon lost track of time as he swashed the drink around in his mouth and let Abby drown him in her conversations.

Feeling a little on edge, Nines stared at her as she currently waved at him, trying to get his attention as her cigarette burned and the smoke rose and swirled high in the air between them.

She stretched out her arm, her cigarette offered up to him, “Want to try?”

He shook his head, “No thank you, Abby.”

She winked playfully at him, “Chicken.”

He chuckled deeply while waving a hand at her, “I should stop drinking, truthfully.” As he said this, he set his cocktail down on her dresser and pushed his bangs back.

She played with her braid, swishing it around and over her shoulders as she stared out the window at the streets below, “It’s amazing that you were able to conceal that from me…” she looked over at him and giggled, “but over time, I truthfully began wondering where all the Vodka was going.”

Nines chuckled again. At least she wasn’t too upset with him, but a part of him hated that he’d hidden things away from her. This was still her house, and he was around her own son while engaging in behavior he himself didn’t even support or condone.

Perhaps he really was a hypocrite after all.

He eyed his drink resting close to his thigh, and he felt the burning need to chase the rest of it down.

He shook his head in dismissal, “Seriously though, I have to stop drinking.”

Abby rolled her eyes, “Ohh pffftt, come on, Nines!” She sat up and kicked a leg on the windowsill, swishing it about as she admired her wonderfully-painted nail polished toes.

“…it’s not like you’re wandering around the house like a drunkard! Have some fun!!”

That wasn’t the point at all.

He sighed in exhaustion as he placed a hand upon his cheek, eyes drawn out the window as well.

“Abby, that’s hardly the point; I can’t be around Gavin if I’m not thinking clearly or properly.”

_It’s even affecting how I think about him…_

Maybe that was why he constantly had sex on the brain when it came to Gavin. He needed to pull his head out of the bottles of alcohol and remind himself why he was different than the average person succumbing to the sweet tastes of drinking; self-control.

Now, where was that self-control? Where was it when he should’ve been in charge of his faculties the most? He needed to stop failing this family and do his fucking job, no matter the costs.

Abby spoke at the window in a tiny whisper, “Allen and I used to drink a lot together too…”

Nines looked down at his feet. Perhaps he wasn’t as different from Allen Reed as he once thought. He had no idea what had given him the full authority and sense of self-superiority to once entertain the idea that Allen Reed was far beneath him. He’d often thought that the man shouldn’t ever be involved in Gavin’s life, often thinking of him as a washed-up dead-beat father.

Maybe it was he himself who was the failure and the dead-beat…after all, he was acting like Allen, and he had no excuse, really. At least that poor man had been through heart break and years of living and struggling to make a life with a woman who was in constant emotional and psychological pain and discomfort.

So what the hell was his excuse??

Abby giggled at something, and it caught his attention.

He smirked up at her, “What’s funny?”

She held a hand against her lips as she giggled like an excited child who’d stumbled upon a secret joke, “Can you imagine if androids had to go to AA meetings?” She threw her head back and laughed a chipper laugh Nines found contagious.

Momentarily abandoning his disappointment in his actions, Nines took up the joke along with her, letting her happy mood wash him away and sweep him up in an equally positive one.

“You know,” he chuckled again as he leaned against the wall, “it’d be kind of funny, now that I think upon it.”

Abby laughed even harder at this, “Right?? Like who would be the AA meeting leader?? Elijah Kamski??”

Nines laughed even harder as he pictured the CyberLife genius standing before a circle of inebriated androids as he conducted a speech about how to try and stay sober while some of the androids drooled out thirium at his feet.

He nodded as he continued participating in the joke, “It would be even funnier if he—”

Their moment of joy and laughter was interrupted by the sound of heaving and vomiting from down the hall. A toilet flushed a second later, and Abby and Nines both jolted up immediately.

“GAVIN!”

They sprang to action; Abby throwing her cigarette out the window once it was extinguished, and Nines racing down the hall towards the bathroom. He rammed his shoulder against the door, and it burst open. Thankfully, Gavin hadn’t locked it behind himself.

The teenager was sprawled before the toilet bowl, and he threw Nines a pained look. His skin was whiter than the walls, and his lips were slightly blue. He reached up for Nines as his eyes turned glassy.

“Niiiiness…” he bent over the toilet bowl again, vomiting violently and loudly.

Before Nines could be at his side, Abby thundered in the bathroom, and she brushed past him as she screamed down at the sight of Gavin emptying the contents of his bowels into the toilet.

“GAVIN!!!” Throwing herself down beside him, she began rubbing his back as he vomited over and over again into the bowl.

Nines cringed as he watched for a moment, and then his ‘human care’ instincts kicked in. He grabbed a face towel from the counter, made it wet with warm water, and pressed it against Gavin’s forehead gently. He tapped and dabbed it around his skin as the boy leaned against his mother for support. He was shaking and trembling badly, and Abby pressed the palm of her hand against his forehead.

“He’s running a fever, Nines!!”

Gavin groaned as he shoved his mother’s hand off his forehead, “Mmm nuuhhh…I’m ffffiinee…”

She grabbed his chin, staring into his eyes as she forcefully opened his eyelid, “Gavin! You reek of alcohol!”

Nines felt his stomach bottoming out. So it appeared he couldn’t protect Gavin when his mother’s senses were far too sharp. Perhaps it was better for the boy to face adult-like consequences instead of him covering up for the teenager all the time.

Abby lightly shook Gavin as she held him in her arms tightly, “Gavin, honey, were you drinking???” Her eyelids fluttered and blinked rapidly at him, and while Nines rubbed Gavin’s back and give him a light massage so he would stop trembling, Gavin nodded at his mother.

“S-s-sorry…”

She roared but held him to her chest as she rocked him gently in her arms. “GAVIN! I’m furious!!”

_You may indeed be, Abby, but that won’t stop you from taking good care of Gavin. He needs you the most right now._

Helping Gavin up off the floor, Nines looped one of the boy’s hands around the back of his neck, while his mother wrapped the other one around her own. Together, they helped Gavin back to his room, and they placed him on his bed.

Abby sat on the edge of the bed as she gently pressed a hand on her son’s forehead again while he groaned and shifted around on his bed.

“Nines,” she ushered gently, “please get Gavin some clean sheets and a clean pillowcase; this entire room smells like alcohol, and it’ll make him sick.”

Nines gave her a soft pat on the back as he moved away from the room. Once he came back and fixed Gavin’s bedroom up nicely, he opened the window a little and stood back to see Abby lying down beside Gavin.

She draped her arms over her son protectively, checking his temperature while she kept her phone by her side in case of an emergency.

Nines kept the volume of his voice down, mindful of the possibility that Gavin had a horrible headache. “Can I get anything else for him?”

Abby smiled at her son as she pushed his hair strands back and away from his forehead, “We’ll be okay, Nines, thank you.”

“Just…just let me know if you need me, okay?”

“I will.”

He backed out of the room then, closing the door behind himself softly.

As much as he wanted to be the one helping nurse Gavin back to full health, he knew this wasn’t his job.

This was time meant for a mother as she attended to her ill son, and he wasn’t going to force himself in the way of that. After all, Abby needed all the time she could get with Gavin.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

The next day, Gavin had to go to school. He had recovered properly, and thankfully, there were no complications…aside from his mother finding out that he’d downed an entire shelf of rum all by himself.

Abby was in the dining room where majority of her alcohol was stored for easy access, and she glared a heated glare back at Gavin as she held up three empty bottles.

“You drank _all_ of these, Gavin?!?”

Her son looked down in shame, “Yeah…”

She shook her head while rolling her eyes up towards the ceiling, “Your stupidity never ceases to astound me, Gavin.”

He suddenly looked up, eyes perking up as if to somehow look more innocent, “But I’m feeling better now, so you don’t have to worry!!”

“I assure you, Gavin,” she interrupted with a small growl, “as invincible as you may think you are, reality will prove to you that you’re not the superhero you think you are.”

The teenager slightly stuck out his chest, as if trying to test his mother’s words. “I feel fine!! I swear!”

She scoffed, “That doesn’t make what you did right, Gavin! I was worried sick-Nines was worried sick, too!”

As if wanting to confirm that from the android himself, Gavin’s head turned around to face Nines, who was currently seated at the far end of the dining room table.

“Nines?”

The android’s LED light was red, and he kept his lips in a firm line as he scowled at Gavin in silence. Again, as much as he wanted to get involved, this was a matter meant between mother and son, and the least he could do was make the situation didn’t turn worse by angering Abby _and_ Gavin.

Silence was best.

Abby placed her hands on her hips as she stuck out her chest and stood tall while glowering down at Gavin’s bent head. “What if you got alcohol poisoning? Hmmm? What would we do then, especially if we didn’t reach you in time???”

Knowing she was right, Gavin merely hid his face behind a hand as he sat and put up with his mother’s lecture while he could. He thankfully had gotten back a lot of his color, and it pooled nicely in his cheeks. His lips were their same old rose-color, and he was far more alert and awake.

“Maybe I should stay home today?” he offered meekly when Abby’s phone buzzed.

“I don’t care how sick you were the other day, Gavin,” his mother hissed at him as she hurriedly dressed for work, “you’re _going_ to your classes, and that’s final!!”

“I do have to agree with your mother, Gavin,” Nines added in, which made the teenager huff out an angry breath, but he surprisingly didn’t argue back. He just sat further back in the chair at the dining room table until his mother shooed him off it.

“Get going!”

Surprisingly, he still didn’t argue, even when Nines marched him over to the car. Not wanting to talk to Gavin so the boy would be able to learn his lesson, Nines ignored the little glances Gavin threw him until the teenager felt too bashful to say or do anything except from sitting in the car beside Nines as they drove towards the school.

He _did_ indulge himself in a cigarette on the way, but Nines decided not to bother him about it…for now.

Checking that Gavin was alright first and foremost, Nines gave him a small hug, not wanting to let him go. They remained like that, stuck together, arms wrapped around arms for quite some time before they were shaken and broken apart by loud laughter ringing around the parking lot.

Before anyone could see them, Nines unlocked the door for Gavin, and the boy hung his head low and ran into the school without even looking back at Nines.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

He could’ve expected Gavin taking up chain-smoking. He could’ve expected Gavin getting another tattoo. He could’ve expected Gavin dancing in the rain, practically. But he hadn’t been expecting Gavin to literally be throwing punches and kicks at bullies in the school’s backyard a few yards away from the parking lot when Nines returned to the school to pick him up.

After every bit of noteworthy conversation he’d shared with the adolescent, and after dispensing him with the best advice he could’ve given to anyone, Nines felt nothing but shame when he saw Gavin being thrown around onto the fields like a rag doll.

What had he been thinking?!

What had started _this_?!?

Was it about Jill again?!

He scanned and viewed the parking lot and the yards, but the female wasn’t present. Yes, there were two other ones still there, and sadly, one of them happened to be the blonde girl who had been beyond ‘affectionate’ with Nines at Darren’s party…

Nines groaned as he exited the car and gazed at the teenagers.

At least four boys more than twice Gavin’s size were circling him. One of them was lashing out the most at the shorter teenager, which his friends took turns goading him, laughing, mocking Gavin, and also yelling out curse words and profanity directed and aimed at Gavin.

The girls merely watched; the one with short, black hair Nines remembered also being at the party, and she was cheering on a taller teenage male Nines had never seen before as he switched places with the one who’d been beating Gavin.

The blonde seemed to be the only one not really enjoying the action, and she sighed as she sat down in the grass while placing a hand and fist beneath her chin.

“Are you guys done with your exaggerated display of manliness?” she asked in a bored tone.

No one seemed to pay attention to her.

Nines was furious. Gavin was decked hard across the jaw, and he stumbled backwards into the arms of his curly-haired-red-headed friend named ‘Frank’.

Wait…why was he here?!

For support?!

Jesus…

Nines glared at them all as he watched Frank shake Gavin, as if trying to knock some sense into his thick skull.

“Dude, this is getting old!!” He tried yanking Gavin away from trying to punch and kick at the tallest out of the bunch of bullies, but Gavin didn’t want to be held back.

He growled, “Let go, Frank!!”

“B-but—”

Gavin turned around and grabbed his friend’s shirt in a hand, “Do it _now,_ you ginger idiot!”

His friend sputtered at him in shock, but Gavin shoved him away as he raised both his fists and stood before the bullies.

He had blood on his nose, dribbling down to his lips and chin. He was shaking and swaying, but he wiped sweat and tears off his forehead and cheeks as he glared at the bullies.

One of them was an African American teen, and he rolled his eyes as he stuck out his hands and puffed out his chest at Gavin, “Did you need your homeboy to hold your jock-strap for you too, Reed?”

Gavin tilted his head back at his friend, “Sometimes Frank’s an idiot…”

“Hey! Leave me out of your shit!!”

“Why are we even here again?” The blonde female turned to her friend and sighed in exhaustion.

“I should ask _all_ of you the same question…”

They all spun around and looked in horror at Nines. The android glared at Gavin the hardest, but he scowled at everyone in sight equally. The blonde female gasped in shock, and then let out a happy, excited squeal as she tore out plenty of grass and dandelions. She leapt up to her feet, and Nines immediately groaned when she dashed forward for him.

“My Mr. Darcy has arrived!!!”

Nines tilted his head at her, “I’m not Mr. Dar-”

“Nines!” Gavin’s serious tone suddenly snapped him out of it.

He watched the teenager take a few pained steps forward as he glared up at him, “What’re you doin’ here?!”

Ducking out of the way before the amorous female could wrap him up in her arms, Nines stepped to the side as he looked at Gavin. The teenager shrugged a shoulder the longer Nines stared at him in silence.

An ardent, passionate sigh escaped the female’s lips as she tried pursuing Nines once again, “And like a true romantic, you appeared in the fields from nowhere, and you galivanted towards me with-”

“Stacey,” Gavin growled, “can it!”

She gasped, and her dark-haired friend shook her head while crossing her arms. “So rude.”

Nines didn’t stop glaring at Gavin. “I thought you were better than this, Gavin…” His eyes fell on the taller bullies hanging by, ignoring the fact that they were whispering and making strange hand gestures that were provocative and depicted sexual encounters between Gavin and Nines.

Putting that out of his mind, Nines merely snorted in disgust at Gavin’s appearance.

He reached out and flicked his torn shirt with a fingertip, “Keep fighting and battling with your fists, then,” he took a step backwards, “it seems all my efforts and words were for naught.”

Gavin frowned darkly, “The fuck does that shit mean?”

“It means you’ll never grow up, Gavin Reed.” Nines sighed, “I think I overestimated you…”

Behind Gavin’s back, the first boy who had engaged in a fist-fight with Gavin began pacing, before he flipped Nines off. “You gonna fuck off, android?” he snapped out impatiently, “you should be getting busted for even trespassing on school grounds!”

Nines didn’t need to be told twice.

Still gazing into Gavin’s eyes with disappointment brewing in his own, he nodded. “Yeah, I heard you,” he took more steps backwards, “I’m leaving.”

The teenage female who was smitten with him called out: “Mr. Darcy! Wait!!”

“Oh shut the hell up and take a hint!!” Nines screamed back over his shoulder after he’d turned around and made his way towards the car.

She shrieked as she stomped her foot and ran back to her friend’s arms, “CONSIDER US OVER, THEN!!”

Silence was present for a moment, and just when Nines had unlocked the car doors and opened the driver’s side, he heard a deeper male voice ask Gavin if he was ready to have his ass kicked in again.

Dejectedly, Nines shook his head as he tried banishing the thoughts of Gavin being horribly beaten from his mind, but if this was the life the teenager had picked for himself, he wasn’t going to get in his way and trouble him anymore.

After all, he was just a kid…

Suddenly, he heard the boys growing impatient, and he wondered what was going on. Gavin usually talked back quickly, didn’t he?

He didn’t wat to risk looking back, though…he’d washed his hands of Gavin Reed.

“Gavin? Dude?”

That was the voice of his friend, Frank.

“REED!” Impatience from more bullies?

_What’re you doing?!_

He slowly turned around, and his breath hitched in his throat.

Gavin was making his way towards him, cradling his right hand across his chest as he looked down at the ground.

“REED! YOU’RE A GOD DAMN PUSSY!!”

Nines had expected Gavin to start physically assaulting the bully, but to his surprise, he didn’t. He merely turned around and shrugged as if he didn’t care about his words.

“Call me whatever you want, man,” he turned around to face Nines, “I’m done.”

Nines tilted his head strangely at Gavin. What had caused this?! Why had Gavin suddenly just…stopped? Just like that? He was puzzled by the shift in behavior, and while the teens muttered and insulted them, Nines gripped Gavin’s elbow and stopped him from heading inside the car.

The adolescent struggled immediately. He grimaced as he hissed out, “Let go of me!”

Nines snarled back, “What caused this fight?”

When the teenager showed a lack of interest in answering his question, Nines shook him once firmly. “Answer me!!”

Gavin hissed in retaliation as he spat out, “They called me a fuckin’ fag!”

Glaring up at the group of teenagers behind him, Nines eyed them all one-at-a-time. He didn’t know which of them had called Gavin such a crude, horrible name, and he felt that the teenager had every right to be upset. However, that didn’t justify or excuse the violent actions displayed in the schoolyard, nor did it provide good reasons for Gavin to possibly have this down on his student record.

The android was unsure of how to explain this all to Gavin, for the horde of adolescents was slowly approaching them. The females especially seemed heated and irate with him, but he didn’t care. He was more interested in what the males were yammering and mumbling to Gavin.

From what he could make out, the two that had physically assaulted Gavin were whispering about how gay the android was for Gavin, and other lewd, perverted, and sexually graphic comments and statements flew about between them while the girls eyed Nines viciously and coldly.

Gavin heard them all as well, but he just kept shrugging as he stared down at his feet.

One other boy Nines hadn’t seen fighting with Gavin who had short, spiky blonde hair and light brown eyes hissed out, “You’re a chickenshit faggot, Reed.”

He understood now why Gavin had reacted in such a violent manner. Hearing the words the bullies shouted out at him made Nines go crazy. Oh how he wished he was human, closer to their age, and well away from the school grounds. He’d teach them all a lesson or two in manners and respect. However, reality painted a different picture, and he wasn’t a human, nor was he a teenager. He’d already felt guilty enough for his sexual relations with Gavin, but that was a different story…

One of the bullies gave Gavin a rough shove in the center of his back. Naturally, Nines wanted to defend Gavin’s honor, but there was no way he could lash out. This was something Gavin had to handle on his own. Despite the niggling feeling of fear and concern flooding his system regarding Gavin possibly talking back to the bullies and or resorting to violence again, Gavin surprised Nines once more.

It seemed as if the boy was always going to have a knack for surprising him one way or another…

Gavin turned and simply shrugged once more at the aggressive bullies while he smiled lightly, “I am whatever you say and think I am, Chris,” he sighed in exhaustion, and it occurred then to Nines how tired the boy really was. His eyes were slightly sunken in, and his lips were dry. He was dehydrated, stressed, and having issues even standing straight. It all made Nines wish he could cradle the adolescent to his chest and just take care of him…

The bullies looked at each other before the African American one snorted, “Gay, so gay, man.”

Nines frowned. Was that the _only_ word and insult they all knew of? Just right away attacking a man’s sexuality or character? Now he understood why Gavin wanted to beat them all senseless…

Still, that wasn’t grounds for physical assault, and the last thing he wanted was for Gavin to learn that the hard way. He hoped the teenager wouldn’t lash out more, but thankfully, Gavin merely snorted before simply flipping the bullies off.

“Whatever,” he said bluntly as he turned to Nines again, “I’ve got better things to do than to bury my fist in your ugly faces anyway.”

A deep voice shouted, “We’ll kick your ass next week anyway.”

Again, Gavin merely shrugged it off, “I don’t need trouble, alright?”

The blonde with the spiky hair grabbed Gavin’s schoolbag. He whipped it at him, but Gavin spun around in time, and surprisingly, he displayed that he had faster reflexes than Nines assumed he would’ve had, given the fact that he’d been in a bad fist-fight.

Gavin caught the bag while his friend Frank strolled up to him. “Dude,” he placed a hand on Gavin’s shoulder, “you’re really gonna just walk away?”

Gavin glared at him, “Yeah, so?”

“But you’re literally just proving everything they’ve said about you…”

There was a long pause for a moment, and Nines leaned against the car door as he simply watched in silence. He somehow felt that this was the real test. If Gavin was insulted by common school bullies, perhaps he could handle it well. However, an insult from a friend? Totally different.

He’d personally seen the teenager bend to peer pressure in the past, and now, he really had to remain as uninvolved as he crossed his arms over his chest and tried to hide the fact that he was truly anxious.

This was all up to Gavin to handle, and he just had to trust him to make the right, logical choice.

Gavin didn’t disappoint.

He merely hugged his friend quickly before he pet him on the back, “Let me tell you somethin’, Frank,” he playfully tapped the boy on the cheek, and leaned in close as he whispered, “I don’t give a flying fuck about my rep anymore, okay?”

Frank sputtered as he held out a hand and tried grabbing onto Gavin, but the other boy turned and opened the passenger door in a flash after swiping his schoolbag off the ground.

They of course mocked him, laughed at him, yelled after him, and said all kinds of disturbing things. Nines had expected them to, given their immaturity and their age. But he hadn’t expected Gavin to sit beside him, nursing his injured arms and fingers as he patiently waited for the android to get in the car with him.

As Nines turned on the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, he made sure to turn and stare at Gavin for a moment before emotions and happiness overcame him. He tossed Gavin a sloppy, goofy grin, and the teenager frowned at it before he broke into a small smile of his own.

“What’s gotten into you, Nines?”

The android still smiled as they began heading home, and he found he was unable to stop as they passed streets and intersections almost on autopilot.

“I just wanted to say that I’m very proud of you, Gavin Reed.”

The teenager rolled his eyes as he snorted while massaging his wrist, “No need to get all sentimental about it, Nines.”

The android tilted his head at him while still gazing fondly at him. Apparently, it made the adolescent feel a little uncomfortable. He covered his face with his hands as he hissed out, “Stop gazin’ at me like that, Nines! It’s fuckin’ creepy!!”

He smiled wider, “I just wanted you to know that I’m _very_ proud of you for what you said back there, Gavin.”

“I didn’t do anythin’ really…”

“You did,” he continued with honesty and sincerity, “you did very well. I’m so proud of you.”

Gavin laughed and then gave him a playful shove, “Let’s go home already! I’m hungry!!”

He sped up just a little bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gavin is maturing!!!!!! He is literally doing anything Nines asks *sniffs!* my cutie pies ! 😭😭😭😥😥😥😰  
> p.s. Ginger idiot made me crack up. Don't know why, but it did.


	30. Thank You, Lusciouswhiteflame

A lot of people brought it to my attention that the amazingly talented Lusciouswhiteflame not only tweeted about my fic, but also drew fanart based on it!!!! 😲😲😲😲😲😲👀👀👀👀👀

Guys, you have noooooooooo idea how much I’ve fangirling right now!💕😍  I seriously had to check Luscious’ page like 18 times before I could believe it, but it IS indeed true!!!!!! I swear, I am on cloud 9000. I haven’t stopped smiling since the morning, and I want to send a huuuuuuge hug and thank you to Lusciouswhiteflame for reading, enjoying, and being inspired by my work. I am sooo very thrilled I attracted some of the best readers out there, and yes, that includes you as you read this now!! 🌹❤💕😭🌈🌹

I want you all to know you’re dearly loved, appreciated, and I am extending all my gratitude towards ANYONE who shared my work. PLEAAAAASSSEEE follow Lusciouswhiteflame on their tumblr, Instagram, and other social media. I have been their follower for a few months now, and I really am amazed and surprised every week practically by the talent I see displayed in their art.

Lusciouswhiteflame, you are a genuinely lovely person, with a beautiful heart! I always admired you, and I wanted to send this shout-out to you personally. 💕💕💕💕😍😍😍

Please, if you haven’t already checked out their tumblr and Instagram, I am linking it below:

Instagram: <https://www.instagram.com/lusciouswhiteflame/?hl=en>

Tumblr: <https://lusciouswhiteflame.tumblr.com/>

Send them all the love and support as you did for me, guys, and a biiiiiiiiig thank you to ANYONE who gave me your time. It is the gift that is priceless, as I have always maintained, and I can’t thank you guys enough.💖💖💞💕❣

The next chapter of the story should be up by tonight!!!!!

 

Love you all.


	31. I Ask of You, as His Father

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VERRRRRYYYY intense, emotional chapter up ahead, I swear, I edited this with a small tissue by my lap ! 😰😥😥😭

 

When they returned home, Abby was on the phone all afternoon with a client. She luckily hadn’t seen the state Gavin’s face was in, but Nines explained hurriedly-yet calmly-that they had to tell her about the fight eventually. Gavin didn’t like the sound of that, and he came up with a strange excuse to get them both out of the house again.

He told Nines he wanted burgers tonight.

“What’s wrong with a homemade burger, Gavin?” The android had hissed dangerously at him, fed-up with the fact that they had to leave the house again to go to McDonald’s.

“Homemade burgers suck ass.” Gavin’s reply was blunt, but it also annoyed Nines to no end. He’d initially refused to take the teen out for supper, but he’d begged and convinced Nines after almost ten minutes of hushed, whispered bickering. Nines gave up and gave in, knowing he was going to end up hating himself for it. But how could he deny Gavin’s whims?

The teenager was just so sullen after the fight, and the way he’d bore the lessons of life Nines had advised him made the android grew more in his affection for the young, maturing man, and there was nothing he could do, even if he was still a little upset with Gavin.

The teenager pointed at his bruises while pouting, “Come on, Nines! Don’t you feel a _little_ sorry for me?”

The android glared coldly at him, “No I don’t!”

“But I got my ass beaten!!”

Nines shrugged, “Not my fault.”

“I love you?”

…………This boy…..this boy was going to be the end of him, but he found he didn’t mind at all.

He sighed, “Hurry up and get in the car.”

As they had driven to the restaurant, and while Gavin was munching away on his burger, Nines watched him while a thought occurred to him.

Gavin had confessed his feelings for him twice now, yet he hadn’t admitted or confessed that he loved Gavin in return. It wasn’t a question of doubt; Nines knew he loved the boy to death, but he just didn’t think he could say it until…

Until everything was set properly.

In other words, he absolutely _required_ both Abby and Allen Reed’s consent, and approval. Without that, Nines wasn’t sure he could continue with Gavin, but there was no way he was going to admit that out loud to the boy.

He remembered the last time he’d stated to Gavin that they needed to stay away from each other, and that hadn’t gone over so well…why bring up something that was going to hurt them both and possibly destroy any hopes of love and acceptance Gavin had within himself? No lover would do that, and Nines wasn’t any different.

Not to mention the fact that they could hardly keep their hands off each other, but Nines wanted to rectify his previous mistakes. He knew that he should have technically asked for approval to be granted from Gavin’s parents well before he’d first slept with the young man, but it was too late. He wasn’t going to cry over the past, but he had to correct certain things while he could…

As he’d driven them both home, he told Gavin that he needed to talk to him about something that was important for the future…

Gavin had strangely listened in silence, and he told Nines he absolutely agreed with him. Nines was shocked. He’d thought that Gavin would want to hide it and keep it a secret, but Gavin had truthfully told him he was tired of running and hiding, too.

“I don’t want you to become my dirty secret, Nines,” he admitted with a small smile as he stared into the android’s eyes, “I want you to be my pride and joy…if that doesn’t seem weird?”

It didn’t; Nines was feeling the exact same way.

He reached over and kissed Gavin on the forehead softly when they’d parked in the driveway of the house, and Gavin blushed all the way until they were back inside his room.

Gavin was there first on his bed while Nines undressed for the night, and he’d nearly missed how the teenager sat still on his bed with an object held between both his hands tightly.

“Gavin?” Nines peeked down curiously, “what’re you holding?”

The question was soon answered on its own; Gavin was firmly gripping Allen Reed’s **World’s Greatest Dad** mug. He toyed with the handle while his eyes turned a little glassy. Nines soon realized Gavin was practically holding back on tears, and he felt his thirium pump melting away at the sight of his lover in such a state.

Immediately flocking to him, Nines knelt down on the floor in front of the boy, placing a hand on his kneecap and another on his chin, tilting it up so Gavin was looking directly at him.

“Hey, hey, darling,” he cooed, “what’s going on?”

Gavin sniffled, wiping his eyes with the back of a hand as he looked down at the mug, “I wanted my dad to always have this…I was plannin’ on givin’ it to him right before mom kicked him out of the house…” he ended this in a sad, little sigh while he tried forcing a smile on his face.

He broke out in nervous laughter, as if trying to recuperate and hide his true feelings all of a sudden. “Stop lookin’ at me like that, Nines,” he blinked away the tears, appearing strong and mature so suddenly, “I’m not gonna break.”

Looking at the mug, Nines rubbed his hand over the back of Gavin’s, “You’re strong.” He sat beside him on the bed, just allowing Gavin to have this moment in time to think, to feel, to breathe. He could feel Gavin’s shoulders moving up and down every time he inhaled and exhaled, and it was so captivating and mesmerizing to Nines. It was a thing he couldn’t do naturally, but as he held his hand over the teenager’s back, it was as if he was breathing in time with him.

Gavin almost leaned into the touch as he closed his eyes and sighed. “Yeah…I’m ready.”

“Yeah?”

He snickered, “No, haha.”

Moments ticked by in silence, and still keeping his eyes on the mug, Nines gently stood, “Let’s get to some exam prep while I think about what we can eventually tell your parents.”

Gavin only nodded while he bit his lower lip. He didn’t appear to be opposed to the idea; just a tad nervous. That was fine; they had time, still, and Nines wasn’t going to push anything yet. As long as they knew how to move forward at some point, it would be better than sneaking around and playing house, playing family.

It was time they came up with a plan, and Nines vowed to do most of the thinking while Gavin wrapped up his education and school. He didn’t want to come between the boy’s future, and he still didn’t feel right until he’d spoken with the boy’s parents, first and foremost.

He only hoped Abby would handle it well when he approached her…

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

“You should prepare for your exams, Gavin,” Nines stated once they were inside Gavin’s bedroom comfortably after Gavin had finished with a work-out session and a shower later that same day.

“…I’ll come up with something to say to your mother and father later, but I want you to concentrate on getting good grades while you can.”

Gavin was in the process of taking off his jeans and changing into casual pj bottoms. He gave Nines a blank look, “Do you really have to involve my dad?”

Nines scowled at him, “Do you have an issue with that, Gavin?”

He flung his jeans inside the drawer of his dresser once he’d folded them neatly, and it made Nines swell inside with pride and joy to see how organized and mature Gavin had become. It was a direct, and more obvious contrast to when he’d first laid eyes on the teenager.

Gavin slid the drawer shut as he grunted, “I didn’t think you were that ‘proper’, Nines…”

He smiled, “Well, I want to be when it comes to you.”

Gavin smiled lightly, but then sighed again as he took off his shirt and threw it into the dirty clothes hamper.

“It’s hot,” he announced randomly as he sat down on his bed, “wanna lie down beside me while I work on my essay?”

Nines threw him a wary look, “Gavin,” he coughed, trying to keep things as… ‘unsullied’ as he could, but it was difficult when the teenager was lying on the bed half-naked.

“…I don’t want to fool around or mess about, okay?”

To his surprise, the teenager collected his laptop off the floor beneath the bed and sighed, “Do you have sex on your mind all the time or somethin’? Jesus, Nines!” He placed it over his lap as he shook his head in disbelief.

Nines spat at him with fury, “Would you stop acting like that?!?” That was the farthest thing from _his own_ mind, but he wasn’t sure how well the teenager could control his own emotions and hormones.

Gavin rolled his eyes, but then pet the spot on his mattress beside him, “Up up!”

“I’m not a dog—”

Gavin beckoned him over with the curl of an index finger, “C’mere, baby,” he paused as he gazed at the android’s chest, “but take your shirt off, too.”

_This is ridiculous._

“You really are making me think horrible things by talking like that, you know.” He still found himself standing up and pulling his shirt off his upper torso, almost as if he’d been bewitched and controlled by an unseen puppeteer.

Gavin shrugged, “I meant that it’s just hot…” his eyes took in the android’s firm, toned body, and Nines thought he saw him about to drool, then, “and besides, don’t you want to feel my naked skin pressed against yours?”

Nines sighed, “Gavin, I—”

“See? I knew ya did!!” the teenager chuckled as he made room for Nines on the bed, shimmying to the side quickly.

The android plopped himself down beside Gavin, and it was silent before the teenager was most definitely staring far too much at his body than he’d have liked. He caught Gavin practically eating up the sight of his nipples, and Nines growled at him while pointing at his laptop.

“Do your work, Gavin.”

The teenager had a vacant expression on his face that would otherwise seem hilarious, but now was not the right time for a laugh.

“Hmm?” He snapped out of it, “Oh…right…”

His fingertips flew along the keyboard, and Nines stared blankly at his open Word Document.

He couldn’t help but feel curious as he peered at the screen while the words formed as Gavin typed them out. “What’re you writing about?”

Gavin gave a lazy yawn before he drawled out, “Just some stupid essay on the relationship between Hamlet and his father.”

“Ahh…”

“Yep.”

More typing ensued, and then Nines couldn’t take it anymore. Not that this was ‘silent treatment’, but he hated not knowing how they were going to go forward with their ‘plan’…

“Gavin?”

“Hmm?”

“Look at me.”

The teenager obeyed, wrapping up the sentence he was working on, and then he turned and smiled at Nines.

“Sup, babe?”

Nines winced, but then pushed that uneasy feeling away. It wasn’t that he hadn’t grown accustomed to that pet name; he just didn’t want Abby hearing it…he could tell she wasn’t far away, possibly on the phone as usual in her office.

He’d not really explained to Gavin that he’d admitted to his mother that he loved him, but Nines wanted to at least have Allen Reed’s approval as well before he confessed everything to his young lover.

That was proper, after all…

He fumbled with his words as he scratched his head, even though it didn’t itch. Perhaps this was why humans did it, as well…

“I umm…”

Gavin rolled his eyes as he leaned over and gripped Nines’ chin in a strong hand.

“Nines.”

His eyes fell down to his lap. “Hmm.” Where had his courage gone? What happened to the words outlining the plan and his feelings?! Why was he so weak now?!

Gavin’s voice was gentle and warm, like the warm summer breeze blowing inside the stuffy, clean bedroom. “Look at me.”

It was his turn to obey, and he did. Their eyes met, but only Gavin smiled warmly. Nines was too pained to smile, but he respected his lover enough not to break eye contact. He didn’t need to be pushing Gavin away now, of all times. His eyes searched through the teenager’s, and he never thought it would be possible to feel his thirium pump aflame when Gavin gave him the look he currently was…it was beautiful…Gavin was beautiful.

“Nines,” his fingers stroked the android’s skin gently, “everything will be fine.”

Sighing, he nodded. Worrying wouldn’t do them much good. Perhaps it was better to just relax, and whenever the thoughts and plans came to him, he would gladly work with them at the right time.

Nines found his eyes closing, and Gavin leaned forward even closer. He pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips, and that was when the door suddenly burst open.

Abby walked in the room, holding a pile of fresh, clean laundry as she strode in the room.

“Gavin I’ve just ironed—”

They leapt apart, but it was too late. Abby was already gaping at them, and she saw their nude chests, caught their brief kiss, and she’d already drawn her own conclusion. Truthfully, had anyone else walked in, Nines wouldn’t have blamed them for fearing and assuming the worst.

She threw Gavin’s clothes to the floor as she backed out of the room in a hurry.

“Mom, wait!!” Gavin scrambled after her, and Nines sighed as he face-palmed. As if this day couldn’t get more stressful, now he had to deal with a distraught and wrecked Abby Reed. He could hear her screaming, and Gavin was chasing her down the hall.

He’d made his way out Gavin’s room, catching sight of the teenager trying to wedge and worm his way in through his mother’s bedroom door, but she was pushing on the other side of it, eager to get him out of her room.

“MOM!!!”

The hysterical woman screamed out, “IT’S EMBARRASSING ENOUGH THAT MY OWN BEST FRIEND WHO I HAVEN’T SEEN IN AGES EVEN KNOWS THAT MY ANDROID IS IN LOVE WITH MY SON, BUT NOW I HAVE TO SEE YOU TWO TOGETHER LIKE THAT??”

Gavin tried slamming his shoulder against the door, but Nines stopped him. He held onto the boy, pushing him out of the way gently, and he gripped the top of Abby’s door.

She caught sight of him, and she snarled much like she had when she’d kicked him out of the house.

“Leave me alone!!!”

Gavin stared back and forth between them, but Nines held out a hand and kept it as a barrier between the boy’s body and the door. He stared down at Gavin and spoke calmly, “Do as she says, Gavin.”

“What?!”

“Just do it!!” he yelled back, and the boy sputtered, throwing his hands into the air as he backed away.

“FINE!!” His own door slammed, and when Nines removed his hand from the top of the door, Abby slammed her own door too.

Making his way down the hall, Nines breezed by Gavin’s door. A second later, right when he was about to head down the stairs, Gavin exited his room, fully dressed. He thundered down the stairs after the android, but Nines wasn’t stopping in his tracks.

“Nines!”

Ignoring him, Nines made his way to the laundry room, where he picked out a white and red lettered motor-bike shirt and leather jacket from the top of the clean laundry pile Abby left behind. He put it on quickly and was trying to exit the laundry room, when he nearly ran face-first into Gavin.

The teenager frowned at him, grabbing both sides of the open doorway as he effectively and successfully blocked Nines from exiting.

“Where’re you goin’, Nines?” he pressed out impatiently, and Nines tried shoving his hand down and away from the door frame, but Gavin refused to move it. He didn’t want to hurt the teenager, so he merely growled as he stared at the hallway waiting for him behind Gavin’s back.

Nines huffed impatiently, “Gavin, please…”

The boy frowned as he shook his head, “No! I won’t move, not until you tell me where you’re going!!”

Nines hissed out, “I have to talk to your father!!”

The boy’s jaw dropped, “NOW?!”

“Shh! Not so loud!” Nines warned, glancing up at the ceiling as he sighed, “I need to at least fix _something_!”

Staring down absently at the floor, Nines really assumed Gavin wasn’t listening. He felt his irritation spiking, but he pushed it to the side as he struggled to remain calm and patient with the teenager.

“Gavin, I—”

Blue eyes met his, though they seemed about to flood with tears, “I’ll talk to my mom, you talk to my dad.”

It was his turn to have his jaw drop open as he tilted his head curiously at Gavin, LED light yellow. “You think you can handle her right now?” he asked as he tried lowering his voice suddenly.

The teenager lowered his hands as he sighed, “She’s mad at you; not me,” he gave a light snicker, “should be a piece of cake for me!”

Nines fought the urge to roll his eyes.

“Very well, Gavin.”

They both moved away from the laundry room with a renewed hope as they thought about putting their current plan into motion.

Before Nines exited the property, he made sure to head up to Gavin’s room, grabbing the mug in a hurry. He wrapped it up carefully before slamming the door behind him.

He was frightened and lost beyond all hope, but he knew he had a lot more faith and trust in Gavin than in himself. If anyone could solve the issue with Abby Reed, it had to be her own son, and he alone held all the cards.

Nines just hoped he could be strong without him at his side as he drove off hurriedly towards Allen Reed’s home.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

Nines sat in the parking lot of 598 Barker Street East for a long time, merely staring at the windows of the house. He knew Gavin Reed and another female figure were already inside the house, so he’d waited until the woman was at least ready to leave.

She certainly had, much to his amusement.

When she’d made her way out the front door carrying a purse and a plastic bag, Nines saw Allen Reed lingering in the doorway behind her, and he smiled at the woman. She turned and blew him a kiss, and he made a motion where he raised his open palm in the air, as if he was ‘catching’ the kiss, and he then closed his fist and pressed it against his chest as he beamed at her with a love-drunk expression on his face the entire time.

He was positive this was the infamous ‘girlfriend’ of Allen Reed. She was the exact same woman he’d seen in the photograph in the man’s house, and they appeared to be very much in love and close.

Seeing their romantic and passionate displays of affection somehow made Nines feel lost and confused. It seemed he’d yet again underestimated one of the Reeds, and it likely wouldn’t be the last time either.

He’d always thought of Allen Reed as a cold, callous, crude man who was hardly incapable of love and understanding notions of affection, but the man he saw waving at the young woman exiting the house and walking down the driveway was totally another person writing another story.

Humans were terribly unpredictable, it seemed…or perhaps he’d never gotten the full story out of the man.

Either way, it was irrelevant; he was here for Gavin, and for the future. He had to look forward to that, but he could start with showing respect for Allen Reed, and trying to make at least a civil relationship go on between them.

He waited until the woman walked towards the other side of the street where she’d parked her car, and when she’d driven away, Nines noticed that Allen was still standing in the doorway, watching…

But he was now watching Nines in Abby’s extra car…

The man shoved his hands in his jean short pockets as he sighed and walked over to the car. He’d obviously seen the android sitting within it, so Nines didn’t bother with waiting any longer than he had. He unlocked the car door, stepped out, and faced Allen Reed with a small nod as a greeting.

The man scoffed as he rubbed his beard, and then scratched at it a little. “So nice of you to drop by again, Mr…” he grunted as he frowned and shook his head, “…shit, I forgot your fuckin’ name, sorry man.”

Nines grunted back, “It’s Nines.”

“Nines, yeah…Nines…” his eyes studied Nines’ apparel and scoffed, as if finding something amusing or highly erroneous about the way the android was dressed.

Nines quirked a brow at him, and Allen pointed at his shirt and black leather jacket, “I never thought my clothes would look that good on someone else…” there was a hint of regret and melancholy in his voice, but it disappeared into the wind as he smiled at Nines politely.

Standing tall, Nines merely met his stare equally, “If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer keeping them for the time being.”

Allen merely shrugged as he scratched at his chest, “I’m actually flattered; it’s not every day you have someone practically living as your shadow…”

“I’ve not come all this way just to discuss your fashion sense or style, Sir,” Nines stated bluntly, eyeing the house behind Allen.

Catching on quickly, Allen nodded, “I hear ya; you wanna take this inside.”

Nines merely looked at the ground.

He heard and later saw Allen Reed’s feet shuffling backwards. “Alright,” the front door squeaked open a few seconds later, “come on in, then.”

It didn’t serve as much of an invitation, but Nines accepted it anyway. The last thing he needed to do and wanted to do was argue with Allen Reed and upset him. He hung his head low in a submissive manner and followed Allen inside the house.

To his shock, the house was a lot cleaner and more pleasant smelling than when he’d been inside it last time with Gavin. The interior was a lot brighter, and it didn’t rely heavily on the daylight. The curtains had definitely been drawn up, and a rather unique, ‘homey’ touch could be felt throughout the home.

Nines was certain that only Allen’s girlfriend could’ve organized and decorated the house in such a cleanly manner, but it hardly mattered. He was here to talk with the man, and he hoped this would be one of their final interactions…at least about the issue he’d wanted to discuss, anyway.

Allen was already in the kitchen again, and Nines took off his shoes, trying to maintain respect, even though he wasn’t going to stay there for long.

He watched Allen grab a can of beer from the fridge, and just when Nines was staring down at a chair so he could sit at the kitchen table, Allen snickered as he moved past the android and pointed at the left-hand side wall, where a door opened up to a tiny room.

“Why don’t we step inside my office?”

Nines rolled his eyes at the joke, but followed him down the hall and waited until he’d made his way inside the room first.

Apparently, the man hadn’t been joking at all when Nines saw what was within the room. The room appeared to be a ‘painting room’ of sorts; an easel was standing by the window, and already, a table full of paint and brushes were laid out upon it. A single stool sat before the easel, and soon, Nines heard Allen Reed rustling fabric and plastic.

Turning around, he saw the other man grabbing and folding a paint-coat hanging from a hook rack behind the door, and he grabbed a few plastic bags as he gestured over to a chair not placed too far away from the easel.

As Nines sat down, he suddenly realized that Allen Reed wasn’t going to paint…

There were plenty of other arts and crafts on the circular table in the center of the room, and that was where Allen Reed was headed to sit. He brought his bags with him, and the contents within them clanked and clattered together roughly and sharply.

His LED light yellow, Nines already had a pretty strong inkling as to what was in the bag…

He folded his hands in his lap as Allen Reed pulled out a chair at the circular table for himself, and he waved Nines over with a hand. “Bring your chair here.”

Nines did as he was instructed, and Allen placed the bag on the table as he made himself comfortable. He tipped the bag over, and all sorts of things clattered out…

Artistic, lovely things…

His collection consisted of: marbles, seashells, sea-glass, broken bottle bits-each of different colors, as well as bits of pottery.

This man was indeed quite peculiar. He organized the crafts and items, moving them into separate piles as his eyes shined with happiness and pride Nines had never seen him display before.

Suddenly, Allen produced two rags from his shorts pockets and tossed one over to Nines. Before he could ask what they were for, Allen pushed some of the seashells over to Nines, and then the sea glass.

“Start with brushing the bits of sand and dirt from them, if you don’t mind,” Allen smirked as he wrapped his own cloth around a hand and began polishing and cleaning the other bits of glass and artifacts he had.

Nines rolled his eyes this time, but he made no further comment. He began wiping down some of the seashells, noticing how majority of them were cracked. He wondered why some people collected things like this, but he had yet to understand what counted as a ‘hobby’ to some people…

Every once in a while, as they sat and worked silently, Nines would peer over at Allen, and he would constantly wonder when the appropriate time would arise where he could pop open the topic regarding Gavin…

His fingers tightened on the shells, and he heard them clicking as they chipped.

Allen stared at them, “Careful with those,” he flicked one that Nines was holding with a pinky finger, “I collected them with Gavin when he was barely five-years-old…”

Nines stared into the man’s eyes and saw what appeared to be regret and deep sadness welling up. Perhaps Allen did in fact care about Gavin more than anyone else ever gave him credit for.

Had he really misjudged this man?

He didn’t know, but he kept cleaning gently until Allen took in a sharp breath.

The man scratched his nose, “You know, I figured that Gavin told you about me offerin’ to get him a tattoo…”

Nines immediately froze as he was about to grab another pink seashell from the small pile.

“…his mother would never allow him to do that,” Allen’s eyes fought against his when they made eye contact, and Nines felt himself stiffen as he glared at Allen.

The man snorted, “It didn’t take me too long to figure out that he told you.”

Nines was silent for a moment, and then he ground out, “Did you expect an apology?”

“No,” the answer shot back immediately, “but I knew it had to be you who interfered.”

“How long have you known?” He had a sneaking suspicion that Allen knew about him interfering for a while now, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t curious.

The man scratched his nose, pushed up his glasses, and then chuckled, “I knew that first night I met you; it was just the way you presented yourself as all perfect and proper…”

Nines detected a hint of sarcasm and bitterness in the man’s voice, but he ignored it. Right now, he was far more interested in why Allen Reed hadn’t yelled at him, threatened him, cursed him, or even called the authorities. He had interfered in this man’s life in terms of his relationship with his son. Technically, he’d committed something of a crime…and yet, Allen Reed was merely smiling away at his art collection while every so often staring intently at him, as if expectant of something.

Nines really had nothing to say, but he hung his head down, kept wiping away at the seashells as he said plainly, “I’m sorry.”

Allen shrugged, “It’s all good, I figured you’d fess up to it some time or another, but I wanted you to also know that I’m not as big of an idiot as my ex-wife thinks I am.”

“I never thought you were one, Mr. Reed.”

He only smiled, “Yeah you do; everyone does.” He set down the clean glass and shells, “It’s alright though, I’m used to it.”

Nines placed his hands on the table as he leaned to the side and stared at Allen while simultaneously scanning him.

“Why did you not attack me the night I dropped Gavin off to your home if you knew it was me who kept your son from you and angered your ex-wife?”

Allen was silent.

Nines wondered whether he’d fully processed or understood the question, even. All he did was scrub away at the glass and pottery a little harder, but it wasn’t a sign that he was stressed or upset. Finally, he took one serious, long look at Nines while his fingers still scrubbed.

“You’re a smart android,” he stared into his eyes plainly, “you tell me how I was supposed to react when my own kid was right there?”

Nines swallowed, “I would’ve still said something, if I were you.”

He shook his head and scoffed, “Then there’s a part of you that’s still ‘machine’.

Nines was insulted by this, but he did his best not to show it. He merely glared down at his seashell pile, poking them with the tip of a cloth-covered finger, as if examining them with care and caution.

Allen suddenly snorted, “Believe me, there’s a side of me that wishes I could’ve done things differently when you showed up, but I can’t…not when my son loves you so much.”

Nines froze for a moment.

Was _now_ the best time to talk about it? They were talking about ‘love’, after all…though he was certain the kind of love Allen Reed was talking about wasn’t sexual or romantic love. Was he supposed to risk looking and sounding like a pervert to the boy’s father?

It was too risky, but he was a fearless creature, now. He was confident that the ‘Nines’ he was months ago never would’ve attempted this, but he was glad that version of himself was long gone. He’d lived for too long in the dark, and now that Gavin had helped him see the light, he was comfortable with remaining on this side…after all, the world was far too lovely with Gavin in his life.

He set down the glass he’d picked up, watching as the dust in the air revealed and highlighted by the sun rose and bounced about it, gently flying downwards. Taking a look out the window, he saw a few kids running back and forth in the streets as they chased a small dog while laughing.

“Mr. Reed,” he began, but Allen frowned up at him, causing him to stop.

The man flicked a finger against a seashell before he curled it around the wavy contours within it, “You know, you should start callin’ me ‘Allen’,” he informed the android with a hint of annoyance present in both his voice and in his eyes, “it may make things less awkward for me.”

“Right,” Nines nodded, “Allen, I need to talk to you about something.”

The man grunted, “I’m all ears; spill.”

Well, this was barely a step on the rickety bridge, but he considered it ‘something’, anyway. Not exactly ‘progress’, but at least a feeble first move of sorts.

Nines didn’t know what else to say. How was he supposed to come right out with the truth? He would definitely anger the man, and then—suddenly, he remembered something Allen had told him during their first chat.

He hung onto it as he smiled warmly, “Allen, remember how you said that you don’t really care what kind of decision Gavin makes for himself as long as he’s happy?”

The man nodded slowly while raising a blue glass before himself up in the air, “Mhmm.”

Good. The other step was being taken, and he was still in one piece.

He continued, “Well, h-how would you react if you...that is to say, if you somehow found out that…well…considering…Gavin…” What was he doing?! What was he trying to say?! Why did he sound so unsure and stupid?!

But Nines didn’t have time to curse himself; Allen was already snickering at him, though it didn’t seem cruel or menacing. He just chuckled as if he understood already what Nines was trying to communicate.

He grinned widely, “I get it, Nines.”

Did he?

“Do you?”

He gave a half-nod, “I’m not a mind-reader, but I’ll tell you one thing; there’s not a lot that makes me uncomfortable.”

Oh, how he hoped that was the truth.

Trying to select his words with utmost caution just in case, Nines spoke slowly, “Would you be disappointed or upset if you found out that Gavin was…” he avoided making eye contact, “…if Gavin was…gay?”

He closed his eyes immediately.

Now, he was positive that Allen was going to start screaming, swearing at his very existence, and throw him out of his house. And he had every right to do that. While he hadn’t insulted his son, he knew that asking a parent if they were alright with their child being homosexual wasn’t an every-day topic any father or mother wanted to hear.

As much as Abby had even stated she was ‘accepting’ and ‘open’, she’d reacted in a terribly vitriolic manner that had frightened him. Why would Allen Reed be any different?

Anticipating the worst, Nines finally summoned the strength to push his chair back, and he looked down at his feet remorsefully and guiltily.

This was a stupid idea from the inception right up until the execution.

“I’m sorry,” he slowly rose from his chair, “I’m so sorry…”

“Sit down, Nines.”

He hadn’t been expecting to hear a calm-but-stern tone from Allen Reed.

Checking to see if he was dreaming or not, Nines scanned Allen. While his heart rate was slightly elevated, he showed no signs of increased anger or being threatened and intimidated. Perhaps he really did just want to talk…

Deciding to trust him, Nines sat down, and he soon felt Allen’s hand over his arm. He stared down at it for a moment, and then naturally, his eyes met Allen’s.

The man gave him a serious gaze that he was unable to look away from. He still didn’t seem angry or upset; he just seemed a little worn out, if Nines had to guess.

There were bags under his eyes, and he soon pulled his glasses off his nose as he massaged his nose bridge and shut his eyes. He breathed softly through his nose, and then his mouth as he sighed.

Nines wished he could leave, but Allen hadn’t let him…

Finally, the man placed his glasses on the table and looked at Nines again. “Nines,” his eyes were slightly red, and he was still giving the android a bland look, but at least his heart rate had slowed down a little.

“—I meant my words sincerely.” He grabbed his dirty cloth and played with it for a moment before he threw it down onto his lap.

“Gavin can do whatever he wants when he’s of legal age, end of story.”

He wished he could leave it at that, but he was barely at the halfway point on the bridge.

“Would you s-still love him if he was in a relationship with another man?”

Allen didn’t even hesitate as he nodded, “Of course I would! He’s my son!!”

This was a relief, and yet again, Nines felt disappointed in himself for underestimating Allen Reed. The man was indeed far more patient, understanding, welcoming, and accepting in comparison to his ex-wife.

His eyes darted around the room as he fished out his next question, “Would you still accept him if he was for example, in a relationship with a male and that male was an android?”

There.

He’d said it.

Nines didn’t know how much more blunt he could be, but he thought he’d still been rather subtle, so as not to make the boy’s father have an early heart attack or panic attack.

However, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Allen Reed merely crossed his arms over his chest after he’d rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows as he gave Nines a stern look, but again, he didn’t seem livid.

He inhaled sharply as he bowed his head, giving the appearance that he was talking to the floor instead of the android seated next to him. “Nines,” he began calmly and patiently, “I know you’re very close with Gavin, and he returns a lot of your feelings and affections…”

Tip of the iceberg, but he admired how reasonably Allen was handling this and addressing it.

“When Gavin graduates from high school, life will take him into a new path, and I want him to discover and learn things on his own…” the man scratched his neck, and then folded his arms over his chest again.

“…as long as you take good care of my son, and as long as you two are happy, it’s fine with me.”

Nines felt his jaw drop open in shock, but Allen sighed as he continued.

“I’m not sure I understand the relationship yet, so I can’t comment on whether or not I agree with it…” he finally looked up to study Nines’ face, “but as long as Gavin’s happy, then I’m alright with it.”

He was definitely hearing what he wanted to hear, right? There was just no way Allen Reed was this accepting, calm, gentle, and open-minded…he was definitely Abby’s polar opposite.

Nines felt horribly once he stared at the man in silence. Here was a human being who he’d misjudged badly by a mile. Allen Reed was no monster. Sure, he wasn’t the best example of a father a child could have, but he was by far the most accepting regarding the current situation, and Nines had to commend him for that.

And he had just the very thing for him, too…

“Sir-err, Allen?”

Allen Reed glanced up from his work when he heard ruffling, and he saw Nines produce a paper bag that had been resting between his feet beneath the table.

He scoffed, “What’s that?”

Placing it on the table, Nines dug a hand inside it, and soon, when he withdrew his hand, a mug bearing the bold words: **World’s Greatest Dad** emerged from within the bag.

Allen’s breath hitched in his throat, and he dropped his artifacts while staring wide-eyed at the mug, “Wh-where did you g-get that?” He held a shaky hand to his mouth while he eyes turned a little dewy and pink.

Nines smiled warmly, “Gavin wanted you to have it before you…left…guess now’s the best time, right?” He gently pushed the mug across the table towards Allen, and the other man sniffled as a pained smile fought its way on his face.

He looked down excitedly at the mug, his expression soon contorting to a pained sort of happiness, and then relief. He sighed as he gripped the mug in both hands and lifted it high into the air. The sunlight surrounded it, and Allen ran his fingers over the letters, as if unable to believe what he was seeing was real.

“Shit,” he laughed while lowering the mug a little, “it’s been _years_ since I’ve seen this thing…I thought Abby threw it out…”

Nines shook his head, “Gavin kept it for you; it was a memory for him, and now it’s for you, too.”

“Nines, I—”

“Don’t thank me,” the android interrupted, “just please trust me.”

Looking over at him quickly before staring at the mug again, Allen placed it on his lap, “I think I can really learn to accept you in my heart, Nines, but it’ll take me some time.”

Seriously, how was he supposed to thank this man?! He really had no clue where to start, but while he knew his jaw was still wide open, he sputtered, “Allen…I…I m-must th-thank you for understanding…”

A long, drawn-out sigh was thrown in his way, followed by the wave of a hand that still held a shell. “Don’t thank me yet,” Allen muttered as he lazily gazed at the shell and other artifacts on the table, “I’m just letting Gavin learn on his own.”

Nines raised a curious brow, and Allen snorted, “If you’re gonna end up hurting him, I won’t threaten to kick your ass or anything.”

The android’s jaw dropped, and Allen merely scoffed as he shook his head in dismissal, “I suppose you think that’s what a shitty father does,” he stated plainly, as if he had the power to read the android’s thoughts and share his own conclusions.

“—I just want him to learn things the hard way,” he carried on quickly, “and if that means he’ll end up bein’ hurt and betrayed by you, then it’s _his_ lesson to learn.”

Nines felt a little hurt that the father of the adolescent he loved and cherished so deeply was already thinking this way about their relationship. He needed his support, but with the way Allen Reed was being so pessimistic and dismissive, it wasn’t doing much in the way of encouraging him.

He still didn’t give up, and he pressed on as he nodded at the man. “I won’t ever do that to your son,” his voice rose a little in volume, as if wanting to make the point very clear.

The man closed his eyes and gave a single nod, “Just take care of my son, alright?”

Nines vowed to do just that, and so much more.

“I promise you, I’ll always love and cherish him deeply.”

Allen Reed seemed okay hearing this statement and promise, and he nodded again as he unfolded his arms from his chest, put his glasses back on, and gathered the remaining glass and shells he had to wipe down.

He pointed at them with a small half-smile, “Shall we?”

Nines smiled back, “We shall.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning the glass and shells and chatting warmly together until Nines found he really admired and liked Allen Reed. He knew then for a fact that he had indeed misjudged the man, but this was going to be the last-and final time he’d ever done that to Allen, and to anyone else.

From now on, he vowed to keep a more open mind about things, as humans had a weird habit of surprising him…a lot.

And Nines didn’t mind it one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😓 it turns out, Allen Reed IS an amazing dad after all !!! I think his character came ut perfectly, but there is still a little bit more to go!! Nines and Gavin have to face off Abby, and that WILL be the final step!!!


	32. Curtain Call + Time Skip (End)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting sick as all hell, but before I crash, I wanted to post the last/second last chapter rather than keep people waiting until my ass recovers. Gotta get this done for the L-to the O R- to the D.  
> Thank you guys for being patient with me as I wrote this monstro of a large fic. I really enjoyed writing this and developing each and every character, and I hope I was able to keep a lot of people entertained!!! 💖💖❣💕

Nines stood on the other side of Abby’s bedroom door. It was half-open, and he could just barely make the woman’s shadowy figure out on her bed. Although he hadn’t bothered to announce his presence, he felt absolutely terrified from the idea of it-let alone actually heading to talk to her.

He’d headed back to the Reed residence sometime after 8 PM and had heard Gavin’s voice trying to soothe his sobbing mother the moment he walked in through the front door. Abby was still crying when Nines had come home, but he was relieved to hear that it wasn’t as bad and as serious as before. She’d calmed down a lot, and Gavin kept repeating to her that he loved her, he was proud of her for how she’d raised him, and he would always be grateful to her. Abby surprisingly hadn’t yelled at him or pushed him away, and she seemed to genuinely be listening to her son as he talked to her about Nines, their relationship, and what he wanted in terms of a future with Nines by his side.

As Nines stood by and listened, his thirium pump beat and worked faster as he took in every word Gavin said. The boy had indeed grown up, and he was very serious and a future with him! Now that Nines had his proof, he knew he would be able to talk to Abby, and he now knew he could face any other obstacle life threw his way. As long as he knew he had Gavin, his world was complete, and he didn’t want anything else.

Still, the last bridge had to be crossed, and until he actually passed it, he was going to hold some uncertainty, worry, and fear of the unknown. He’d never been faced with the concept of planning ahead in the future and holding hopes out, and as new as this all was to him, Nines felt it was something he just had to get used to, especially now that he could feel things on a deep level.

Unsure of whether to head into the room and talk to them or not, Nines waited with a hand against the door as he peeked inside the bedroom and saw Gavin hugging his mother while she rubbed his back and shoulders in small circles.

“It’s okay, mom,” Gavin whispered into her ear as he sniffled, “Nines hasn’t hurt me, and he really wants for me to finish my education first.”

Nines truly felt touched and impressed by how Gavin was handling this. He’d somehow still expected the mother and son to be arguing and screaming when he’d returned home, but he was so surprised and pleased when that wasn’t the case at all. As headstrong as Abby Reed was at times, she was slowly becoming a new person, so it seemed.

Their shadows moved inside the bedroom, and Nines closed his eyes as he just listened to the sounds of Abby trying to calm herself down as she took in deep, long, pained breaths. Eventually, much to his surprise, those breaths turned into calm, relaxed ones. He didn’t need to scan Abby Reed to determine that she was going to be okay, and that the worst of it all was over.

“I am so sorry, Gavin!” Abby’s voice broke through his thoughts then, and Nines pushed open the door slightly when he felt things were a little calmer. He’d waited at least twenty minutes in the hallway, and he wanted to apologize and show respect to Abby before she went to bed.

It was the right thing to do, and he was encouraged and motivated when his chat with Allen Reed had gone over so well. He’d actually started to consider the man a friend, now, and he was hopeful that he could still win Abby’s friendship back-or at the very least, her respect.

The door hinges groaned in protest when he’d pushed the door all the way open, and immediately, Gavin and Abby sat up on the bed. They were leaning against the headboard, and while Gavin smiled and beamed with pride and joy when he saw Nines, Abby merely looked away in fright.

At least she wasn’t angry or disgusted with him, which was a lot better, but Nines didn’t feel too welcome by her body language.

Gavin picked up on the tension as well, and he gently laid a hand on Abby’s shoulder.

“Do you want me to go to my room?” He asked her gently, and she nodded.

“Just…” she sighed, “just give us a few minutes, Gavin.”

He was pleased that she wasn’t kicking him out of the room, but he waited patiently until Gavin had left the room. He closed the door behind himself as well, and Nines clasped his hands behind his back as he stared at Abby with a patient, warm gleam in his eyes. He didn’t want her to think that he was harboring a grudge against her for kicking him out of the house, and also yelling at him.

She appeared to be relaxed, and she massaged her neck as she sighed softly, “So Gavin told me you went to talk to my ex-husband about your…” she couldn’t finish her sentence, and she swallowed with difficulty as she tugged at an earlobe nervously.

Nines merely nodded.

“How did he take it?”

He answered her truthfully, “He said that as long as Gavin finishes his studies and is happy and well taken care of, he’s alright with it.”

Abby nodded as she went back to massaging her neck. “Well, that’s a relief,” she stated as she looked down at her lap, “I’d expected him to be a lot more ruthless…”

He looked down at the floor, and then his eyes swept up to meet hers. “Perhaps it isn’t my place to say, Abby,” he began with caution, “but I think when you assume the worst of everyone around you, you’ll raise your guard high, and effectively push everyone away if you think they’re out to get you or harm you in any way.”

She stopped massaging her neck and tugging at her earlobe as she listened on with sad eyes.

He carried on, “I know I wasn’t the best ‘household assistant android’ to you, but I really want to be a part of this family more than anything else—” he waited until she’d shifted and sat on the edge of the bed, throwing a few tissues into a garbage can.

“—that’s my wish; to just maintain the peace here, and to feel welcome in your family, and in Gavin’s life…if I have your blessing and permission to do so?”

He waited until she’d stretched her back after fixing her hair with both her hands while sighing. She looked at everything in the room except for him, but he tried not to take it personally as he maintained patience. This wasn’t supposed to be easy for her for sure, and he was going to wait if she asked him to.

She finally got up and walked around the bed until she was a few inches away from him. Her green eyes gazed into his blue ones with an air of hesitance, but he read that as a sign of her just being cautious more than anything else.

Resting a hand on his shoulder finally, she sighed. “You’re absolutely right, Nines,” she gave him a small, coy smirk, “it’s really _not_ your place to say.”

They stared at each other for a moment, and then they both burst into laughter. Abby gently hugged him, looping her arms around his neck until he’d returned the gesture. It was a soothing hug that told him everything was forgiven, and that they’d rekindled their friendship after all.

She pet his back soothingly while he ran a hand through her messy hair.

“Thank you, Nines,” she whispered as she kissed his cheek. “Thank you for everything.” She allowed him to gently wipe away the last of her tears as he held onto them in the palm of his hand.

Abby looked away shyly for a moment. “You know,” she began in a soft, small voice, “when I first saw you in the windows of the CyberLife shop, I didn’t think you’d be able to stick with us and save us. I knew there was a lot that was wrong with our family, especially from my end…” she pointed at herself and her shoulders sank in a little. “But I really admire you for pulling through for us, and even though it was never your job to save us and pull us out of hell, you did, Nines, and there’s no way on earth I can show how grateful I am.”

She hugged him tightly one more time as she breathed into his ear, “You helped this family grow by helping _me_ grow. You…you must be an angel…even though I can’t say I believe in them…” she sighed, “…I guess you renewed my hope, my faith, and helped me heal, Nines.”

Her words truly touched him, but he had no way of showing it right away. All he could hope for was that she meant each and every word sincerely, and he felt she did as her heart fluttered against his thirium pump as she embraced him tightly for the final time.

He smiled a wide smile. “Thank you, Abby.”

When they’d broken out of their hug, they turned around and saw Gavin grinning smugly at them from the doorway.

“So lovey-dovey,” he commented with a little laugh.

Abby pointed a finger at him, and then she swooped around him, grabbing him with a hand as she pulled him into her chest.

Of course, he struggled a bit, but then he relaxed when she held him, and the mother and son hugged each other and held onto each other for a long, long time.

Abby kissed the top of his head lovingly while she ruffled his thick, dark brown hair playfully a few times. “You’re my pride and joy, Gavin.”

The scene was very touching, and Nines watched them until Gavin turned around to face him. Of course, he wouldn’t ever be forgotten. The teenager’s eyes shined brightly, and he grabbed his hand and pulled Nines closely into them, so they formed a group hug.

As they all were huddled in their little circle of a hug, Nines had to really smile widely.

This was the first time he’d really felt like he genuinely was part of a family, and knowing he belonged right here with the Reeds, he couldn’t stop smiling for a long, long time. All he could do was look forward to the many, many long years of joy, serenity, peace, fun, and love he was going to share with Abby, and especially with Gavin.

For the first time in his creation, Nines actually looked forward to the future, and was already wanting time to fly, so long as it promised him Gavin by his side.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

“Isn’t it a little dumb to be celebrating my birthday almost half a day before the actual date itself?”

Gavin Reed was seated at the dining room table early in October with Nines and his mother. It was almost midnight, and the entire day leading up to this hour, Nines and his mother had allowed and encouraged him to go out with his friends and celebrate his birthday, even though it was specifically on the 7th. As the clock counted down to the new day, that was when Nines and Abby brought out the cake, and showered Gavin with a mountain of hugs and kisses as they welcomed him to adulthood, and celebrated his 16th birthday as a family.

A large birthday cake sat before them on the table, the candles still not blown, however. It was a magnificent cake, too. Large, vanilla, and it was decorated with Gavin’s name in fancy decoration and handwriting.

Nines waved a hand at the candles, “I have to ask a question, Gavin?”

Abby walked around the table, snapping photos on her phone as she giggled excitedly.

Gavin sighed impatiently while he tried forcing a smile on his face for the camera every so often, “What is it now, Nines?”

The android smirked at him, “Do you like the taste of wax?”

The boy frowned, “No! Of course not! Why?”

“Because it’s going to get all over the damn cake if you don’t blow the fucking candles out, that’s why.”

Gavin frowned darkly at him, “Shut it!!”

Abby wrung her hands as she bounced up excitedly, “Come on, sweetie! Hurry!!”

Rolling his eyes, Gavin leaned forward, standing from his chair a little, and he blew out the candles quickly. The flames danced and gave out, finally, and Abby snapped photos quickly while Nines clapped.

“Taaaaddaaaa!” Gavin glared at him while Abby giggled again. She handed her son a decent-sized carving knife, then, elbowing him a few times as she pointed at the cake and took a photo of it before they dug into it.

Afterwards, she beamed at Gavin brightly, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I think this young man should make the first cut!!” she giggled again, “unless you need Nines to show you how it’s done?” she finished by tossing a wink at Nines.

The teenager took the knife from her as he stuck out his chest and snorted at Nines seated across from him at the table, “I am perfectly capable of knowing how to cut and eat a cake, thank you very much!!”

Nines grunted, “Uh huh,” he snickered when he watched Gavin trying to measure which way to cut, how to cut, and when to begin cutting. It literally took the boy half a minute before he slowly cut the first piece.

“…I’m surprised that you were able to pass your final exams and enter in the next school year, to tell you the truth…” Nines rolled his eyes and shook his head, though he was being playful, more than snappy.

Gavin kicked him lightly in the shins, making the plates and utensils laid out on the surface of the table bounce up. “Bite me, Nines!”

“Gavin!” his mother cried out, “tsk tsk!! I thought you were more mature??!”

The teenager gasped, “But I was just having the last bit of my childhood displays of affection for Nines, mom…” he batted his eyelashes at her, “…is that so bad?”

Ignoring him, Nines gently tossed one of the candles at him once he slid it out of the icing of the cake.

Abby grinned at Nines, who met her grin equally as he nodded at her. Simultaneously, they cried and sang out, “Happy Birthday, Gavin!!!”

Abby hugged her son tightly, kissing the top of his head until he’d hissed at her to go away. She then hugged Nines, posing for a quick selfie with him while Gavin dipped his finger in the icing of the cake.

Abby gasped and slapped his hand away, “Not yet!!”

“Yes!” Nines chirped up as he winked at Gavin, “you have to have your first gift from me, now!”

Gavin gasped, “But we’re not openin’ gifts yet, Nines!” He looked at his mother, and she beamed at him.

“Oh yes we fucking are…” Nines reached into his pocket, and he withdrew a small box. He held it above his head, “Gavin, catch!!”

The box sailed through the air, and Gavin caught it perfectly. After weighing it a bit, he shook it, and something rattled in it when he pressed his ear against the box and listened. He blushed deep pink and snickered, “Aww Nines,” he cooed, “askin’ me to marry you already?”

Abby looked at her cake awkwardly while shaking her head and pressing a hand against her forehead. “Someone shoot me now,” she said in a facetious tone.

Nines scowled at her, then at Gavin, “Don’t be a jackass and just open it.”

Gavin winked at him, but obeyed. When he opened the lid, he gasped, and he stared up at Nines with confused eyes, “A car key??” Gavin dangled the key up before everyone, snickering mischievously.

The android smiled, LED light spinning blue happily, “You asked me to teach you how to drive when you turned sixteen, so…”

Gavin chuckled as he closed the lid of the box and rolled his eyes, “Yeah, but I want _my own_ car; this is my mom’s car key!!”

Nines held out a hand, “I can take it back, you know.”

The boy clutched the box tightly, placing it on his lap, “No.”

“So are you spending your actual birthday in the evening later with Allen, then?” Nines asked as he gently held Gavin’s hand while he sliced perfect pieces from the cake.

“Totally,” he took a slice for himself and for his mother, while also grabbing the smallest bit from his own cake and put it on a plate for Nines.

“…don’t eat too much of that, babe.”

Nines sighed, “Okay, dear.”

Abby put a finger in her mouth, pretending to vomit and gag. They knew she’d been joking, but Nines still knew they had a few ‘obstacles’ to overcome with her along the way. While Abby had been a lot more comfortable with the fact that her son was in a romantic relationship with a _male_ android, she still sometimes seemed tense and uptight whenever she caught Gavin hugging Nines for longer than what she deemed was ‘appropriate’. Nines knew they still had a lot of work to do for the trust to be fully maintained, but he was willing to put forth all his energy and devotion, for Gavin.

Still, the couple managed to be intimate in other ways that didn’t always involve sexual acts without Abby catching on whenever they had free time together, and it was good enough for them now that Gavin was finally legally of age.

“This is one of the best birthdays, actually…” Gavin’s eyes gleamed as he removed the last few remaining candles, licking the icing from the ends while Abby sat further and more comfortably in her chair, and grabbed her fork.

Nines picked a few crumbs from his own cake, but he didn’t eat them. “It’s also a school day tomorrow, Gavin,” he reminded his lover gently, “you’re already up past your bedtime, so you shouldn’t eat too much cake if you want to be up early to hang out with your father after school tomorrow…”

Gavin gushed as he fluttered his eyelashes mockingly at him as he pouted, “Nah, you’re the only daddy I need in my life, Nines!”

Abby repressed a giggle, but she still seemed a little tense and pale when she heard Gavin utter this out. Kicking him gently and playfully, she hissed, “Alright you two, that’s enough.”

Nines winked at his lover across the table, and Gavin winked back.

She rolled her eyes impatiently, “As much as I think you two are really _not_ cute, I’d like to eat my cake before I throw up.”

They all laughed, and finally dug into their cake.

As Gavin chewed through his slice, he mumbled out, “Does this mean I get birthday wine?”

In unison, Abby and Nines answered, “No.”

Gavin fumed, “Assholes.”

Nines smirked, “We love you too, Gavin.”

As they ate and celebrated into the night, Nines found he had to really agree with Gavin; this was indeed the best birthday.

O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo.O.oo

**THREE YEARS LATER, MID-AUGUST**

 

****

 

Nines unlocked the dark apartment door and sighed as he shrugged out of his black peacoat. At once, he felt a warm pressure around his legs, slipping and gliding between the leg gaps while the apartment lights welcomed him home after a long day.

He bent down and smiled, “Hello Franny, hello!” He rubbed the back of a little tabby kitten as she pawed at him playfully, welcoming him home with little purrs and meows.

“What did you get up to today, girl?”

A meow answered him, and he picked up the cat and carried her inside the apartment as he stroked her ears softly. She purred loudly against him, eyes closed in sheer enjoyment. Nines tapped her nose before gently setting her down on the carpet. He watched her waddle off, her tail swishing as she bounced and leapt towards her toys and bed against a wall near the hallway.

Nines looked at the piles of unopened mail resting on the coffee table as he made his way inside the apartment, noticing it had been recently cleaned. He loved that. A clean home was the best kind of home to walk into.

Already in a good mood, his happiness soared when he walked out of the kitchen, and towards the ‘music studio’. He followed the sounds of a guitar softly strumming while Franny played with a plastic mouse on the carpet as she stretched out in the sunlight pouring in beautifully in through the large, rectangular windows.

Nines stood for a moment, peering inside the half-open door, just listening for many minutes.

A broad back of an athletic figure was perched on a wooden chair which faced a large window. The blinds were pulled up, and the room was as bright as ever. The figure was strumming the guitar and humming along to the notes softly in a deep, masculine voice.

Nines took a moment to enjoy it, leaning lazily against the doorframe as he watched the muscles shift and flex while the male played on.

He was wearing a white muscle top, and Nines could see every motion his hands made. His eyes took in the neck, the short, dark brown hair that fell before it in a neat cut, and finally, his eyes then stopped over to the dark green plant resting on a now very well-built, muscly left arm.

Nines walked inside the room, and the man seated in the chair pulled off the large, dark headphones he was wearing as he smiled up at the android.

They exchanged warm, endearing smiles, and Nines then noticed a letter resting by the man’s feet.

Taking an empty seat by the open window, Nines sighed as he felt the last breezes of summer flying in the room. A few leaves were caught in the windowsill behind him, and he turned and plucked one, gazing at it. It was already turning orange, which meant autumn wasn’t too far away.

The blue eyes stared at him, and a smile formed on the man’s stubbly face. “How was your day?”

Nines whistled a little wolf-whistle, “I just saw your mother when I was driving by to get those cookies you like from Starbucks.”

“Hmm, how is she?”

A chuckle escaped him as he crossed a leg over the other and leaned back in the chair by the open window, “She’s peachy; got a few more white hairs in the front by her temples.”

A hand scratched at his thick, dark brown stubble, “She still seein’ that guy she met on E-Harmony?”

Nines nodded enthusiastically, “She certainly is!”

The young man’s hand dropped to his thigh before he snapped his fingers, “Damn! I’m so outta the loop!”

Humming, Nines tapped a finger against his chin. “You should call her or go see her.”

“I will.”

Nines smiled widely as he also added, “She tried forcing me to join her yoga class again, though.”

A deep, pained groan hit his ears, “Sounds like your day was better than mine!”

They laughed jovially, teeth gleaming brightly as the wind died down a little.

The man suddenly sat up, “I’ve got good news, Nines…”

His eyes fell down to the letter, already excited as he anticipated the good news. “Did you get in?”

The man set the guitar down in its case lying a few feet beside the chair, “I got in!”

They both leapt to their feet, hugging each other tightly in a strong embrace. Nines’ hands flew up to cradle the back of the man’s skull. Nines clapped the young man’s back in glee, “I’m so proud of you, Gavin!”

Soon, they pulled away from each other a little, and as Nines peered deeply into those blue depths, he leaned in and kissed the scar on the young man’s nose.

He snickered in response, “You love that thing.”

Lips still pressed against his skin, Nines hummed as he closed his eyes and enjoyed their close proximity, “I do.”

“But not as much as you love me, right?”

He leaned back as he ran his hands up and down the man’s toned, firm body. Giving him a sincere smile as he pressed an index finger beneath his chin, he sighed, “I love you more than anything, Gavin Reed.”

The nineteen-year-old male smiled brightly as he kissed Nines’ forehead. In the last three years, Gavin had grown in height, but also in personality. Gone was the puppy-like, playful teenager who usually was a big brat up to no good, and here was a young man about to start his college life and training to get into the Detroit Police Department.

His initial hunch about Gavin’s appearance as he grew older had been indeed correct; the young man really had grown up to be handsome.

Nines looked down at the letter again as he sighed happily, “I still can’t believe I’m dating a soon-to-be-cop!”

Gavin kissed his cheek, “Well,” his lips trailed over to the other cheek slowly, “I’ve only _just_ been accepted in the Police Academy, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, babe.”

A playful pinch was delivered to his ass, and he gasped before licking Nines’ chin. Although they were closer in height, now, Gavin still had to tilt his head back to gaze into his lover’s eyes. Nines toyed with the band of the loose jeans Gavin wore as he searched through his eyes longingly, though he’d already found what he’d been looking for in the depths of his blue hues long ago.

Gavin leaned against him as he played with his white business shirt, “Will you miss me when I’m gone?”

“You know I will,” came the answer without hesitance or pause.

Nines ran his hands up and down Gavin’s taut muscles, “Gotta say though,” he tossed him a wink, “I can’t call you ‘scrawny’ anymore, can I?”

Gavin swatted his ass playfully, and Nines gathered him to his chest as he kissed the top of his head. Their feline pet walked in the room, stopping until she was beside the guitar. She poked at it curiously with a dainty little paw, and it started making weird noises and buzzes as she hit the strings.

Both men laughed as they looked down at the curious kitten.

“Guess she’s as talented as her dad,” Nines joked softly while resting his chin on Gavin’s head.

They watched the cat strum the guitar in her own way until she grew bored and leapt out of the room in a flash.

Nines felt Gavin press an index finger over his thirium pump regulator as he kissed a soft spot between Nines’ earlobe and his neck. “This is the best early-birthday gift of my entire life…”

The android had to agree. “Yes, acceptance into the college and Police Academy of your own choosing right before you turn twenty _is_ indeed something you should be proud of yourself for, Gavin.” He pulled back and gave the young man a genuine, loving look that communicated he was nothing short of proud of Gavin’s accomplishments.

Turning towards each other now, Gavin held Nines’ face in his hands, his thumb stroking the smooth skin as he pressed their lips together in a chaste kiss.

“I love you.”

Nines had heard the confession over at least a thousand times, but every time Gavin said the three words, it was as if he’d heard them for the first time ever. LED light shining blue, his system hummed and buzzed, and he almost felt his thirium pump regulator beating like a human heart…almost.

He closed his eyes as he wrapped Gavin’s arms around his own neck while he pressed their hips together. They moved and swayed about to a song only they could hear in the minds as the warm breezes accompanied them by blowing against and around them as they swayed together.

Gavin’s eyelids fell shut, and Nines kissed him tenderly, but he’d poured every bit of emotion he ever felt into the kiss, and Gavin sighed against it as he played with the small hairs on the back of the android’s neck.

They could stay like this all day, which was what Nines was planning on doing as he gently spun his lover around in his arms, dancing to the beat of a song only they shared between themselves, much like an unspoken secret.

He held onto his lover as if he was going to fly away, and his tight grip was reciprocated. It was a confident hold; they were never going to be apart from each other, no matter if Gavin had to leave for college in September or otherwise.

They would always be linked and connected, and that was the way it was going to be always be.

He gave his lover the happiest smile as he pressed their foreheads together.

“And I love you, Gavin Reed.”

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God damn, I AM a sucker for happy endings!!! 😰😭😭😭😰  
> In a few more days, there will be ONE more chapter, but it's a final thought/s segment from me, and that's all as far as that goes!! 😭😭😭😭😭


	33. Concluding Thoughts

**Concluding Thoughts from the Writer**

Thank you to everyone who really loved this fic, and thank you to anyone who even thought about it or glanced at it. As someone who is often shy about sharing my work, I feel I was so incredibly blessed with how many kind people supported me in the comments throughout the production of ‘Playing House, Playing Family’. Thanks to you lovely people, I feel that as an artist and as an author, I have grown in some way, and I can now ‘spread my wings’-so to speak, and try out another long fic which I am currently writing now (More Than a Woman, More Than a Bride).

I have to also thank my best friend and editor, QueenRoyala for her hard work putting up with me and editing bits of this fic!!! We grew as friends and writers/editors, and she made this journey funny and exciting as well! I really appreciate how much time you set aside and devoted for me as a friend, dear, and I am in your debt!!

I really had a very enjoyable, pleasant experience, and answering questions, addressing comments, and even going through some struggles and frustrations seriously helped me hone my skills as a writer, and I have people to thank for that.

Seriously, I know I have said it before, but I’ll say it again; you have no idea how amazing and fantastic it feels to know you are somewhat responsible for starting a trend/new trope in the fanfiction world (even possibly trying the ‘forced marriage’ trope in ‘More Than a Woman, More Than a Bride’). I have already seen conversations going on around tumblr and such about how some people are now inspired to write their own Teen Gavin AU fics, draw about it, and they want more of it. This makes me VERY happy, personally, and again, I can’t thank many of you enough for giving me that time and faith to do my work as best as I could.

That being said, there have been a few questions people asked about the fic and the plot, and I would like to answer them now that the ending has been posted, and all spoilers are out of the way.

A few people commented about how when Nines was kicked out of the Reed home by Abby, only the short time-span of a month went by, and he was brought back by Abby. A lot of people didn’t understand why I didn’t use this as a way to do a time skip into the future where Gavin is already a Detective and as annoying and mean as we know him to be in the game. People felt I should have done this, because it would’ve created good conflict, because Gavin would have likely been angry with Nines and thought he abandoned him and left him when he needed him most, and some readers even went so far as to say that’s why Gavin is so mean to Connor in the game-because Connor looks a lot like the RK900 aka Nines, and he would remind Gavin of his teen years when the android he loved so much left him when he needed him by his side.

I totally agree on face-value that this actually could have worked and been so cool to do! But here is why I personally chose NOT to do it.

First of all, I believe it would have distracted and taken away from my original idea, and that was to write about teen Gavin, and keep him as a teen throughout the fic (until the very end lol). It’s not that I think writing about him as a teen AND as an adult is bad; I just couldn’t mix in two different types of plots and conflict in one story. I’m not the world’s greatest multi-tasker, and when I tried mixing in two different plots back in my first-ever DBH fic ‘Incorruptible’, I found it actually backfired for me that way. People were confused, and they lost interest in the story, and I promised myself I would never repeat that again. If some people can handle and juggle 4 kinds of plot at once, all the power to them, and I hope they keep on rocking that, because I can’t lol.

Second reason was that it would be way too long, and potentially run the risk of ‘running its course’, if you know what I mean. It would’ve lost its luster, and what made it beautiful, in my opinion.

And last reason why I chose not to include more of an ‘adult’ Gavin, is because I wanted to give other writers and future authors a chance to write their own versions or possible spinoffs/sequels from this. As I said before from other fics, if my work ever inspires people to continue it, by all means, I will switch the role from author to reader, and I will gladly read and support that work all the way from inception to completion!

A bunch of other comments came in asking why I didn’t have Gavin top Nines (sorry for the sexual content here) or why didn’t Gavin dominate Nines? Most of the answer lies in the above-especially considering how I said other people can definitely write their own versions of that happening, but also, I don’t think it would fit the narrative of a young, teenage Gavin just barely going through stress and issues with both parents, and newly figuring out his sexual orientation to do that. It’s fine if you disagree with my reasons, but I also just didn’t want to make this story as sexually graphic and charged as ‘An Unforeseen Union’. All jokes aside, if you honestly want smut, ‘An Unforeseen Union’ is your best bet, as there’s smut EVERY chapter, practically. I just wanted the love Nines has for Gavin in ‘Playing House, Playing Family’ to be MORE than merely sexual, that’s all.

Long story short, I love messing around with two essentially ‘unknown’ video game characters, and when I first visited A03 to read some Markus x Simon *hahaha sorry, but I love that pairing, too* I was blown away by how many people shipped the RK900 with Gavin, and I was wondering HOW that was possible, when they both barely had even 2 minutes of screen time. But, I think the imagination of people is what I am drawn to, and I literally just love toying around with ANY situation, and I throw these two blank slates into it, and shape them any which way I want!

I’m weird, I guess, but this is how I express my art and work, and that’s all I basically wanted to say.

Thank you to EVERYONE who enjoys ALL my fics, because you guys really make the experience a lot more fun and unique for me. I look forward to future interactions with you all as I work on my last few DBH fics!

I truly hope I can see some future work as good-if not better-than mine, and I will be a big fan of that, and I will constantly keep an eye open for new fics from anyone with a large smile on my face!!

But for now, I’m gonna just dance the night away, and celebrate the end of another beautiful fic!

 

 

Much love,  
  
Avixi


End file.
